IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) I.I 1^1^ 122 US I Ki I u 1 4.0 ^ III '-^ 1 '■*- ^ 6" ► Hiolic^phic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. t4S80 (716)872-4503 •^ :i s.-,^ A <^^ '^^ ^ i>.' I/. %0 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical JVIicroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. □ Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur I — I Covara damagad/ D D D D D D D Couvartura andommagte Covars raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raatauriba at/ou palliculAa Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manque I — I Colourad mapa/ D Cartaa gtegraphiquaa wn coulaur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noirel Coloured platea and/or illuatrationa/ Planchea at/ou illuatrationa en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli4 avac d'autrea documenta Tight binding may cauae shadowa or diatortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrie peut cauaar de I'ombre ou de la diatoraion l« long de la marge intAriaure Blank leavea added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II aa peut que certainea pagea blanchea ajouties lors d'une reatauration apparaiaaent dana la texte. mala, lorsquo cela Atait possible, ces pagea n'ont paa M filmtea. Additional comments:/ Commentairea supplAmantairea; L'Inatitut a microfilmi la mailleur axamplaira qu'il lui a itt possible de se procurer. Las details de cet exemplaire qui sont paut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui pauvent modifier una image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exigar una modification dana la m^thoda normale de f ilmage sont indiquto ci-dessous. □ Coloured pagea/ Pagea de coulaur n Pagea damaged/ Pagea endommagiea r~| Pagea raatorad and/or laminated/ D Pagea reatauriaa at/ou pallicuiiea Pagea diacoioured, stained or foxei Pagea dicolorias, tachaties ou piqudas Pagea detached/ Pagea ditachies Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti inigala de I'impression Includes supplementary matarii Comprend du materiel supplimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible (~~7 Pagea diacoioured, stained or foxed/ r~n Pagea detached/ r~7| Showthrough/ rn Quality of print variea/ nn Inciudea supplementary material/ r~n Only edition available/ Pagea wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to enaura the best possible image/ Lea pagea totalament ou partiallament obacurciea par un feuillet d'errata. una pelure. etc., ont iti film6es A nouveau da fa^on t obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X J 12X 16X aox 24X 28X 32X re lAtails M du modifier Br une 'ilmage The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: University of Saskatchewan Sasicatoon The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and In keeping with the filming contract specifications. L'exemplaire fllm6 fut reproduit grAce A la g6n6roslt6 de: University of Saslcatchewan Saskatoon Les Images sulvantes ont M reproduites avec le plus grand soln. compta tenu de la condition et de la nettet* de l'exemplaire film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de fllmage. es Original copies In printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated Impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or Illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or Illustrated Impression. Les exemplalres orlginaux dont la couverture en papier est ImprlmAe sont fllmte en commenpant par le premier plat et en termlnant soit par la dernlire page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impresslon ou d'lllustratlon, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplalres orlginaux sont fllmte en commen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impresslon ou d'lllustratlon et en termlnant par la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un dee symboles sulvants apparaftra sur la dernlire Image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols —^ signlfle "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signlfle "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included In one exposure are filmed beginning In the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams Illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fllmte A dee taux de rMuctlon diff Arents. Lorsque le docum^jnt est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cllchA, II est fllmA d partir de Tangle supArleur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nteessalre. Les diagrammes sulvants lllustrent la mAthode. errata to pelure, m i 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Allini mm ilEffiOiiLJL §M CIE^ilEILIES T„IPS.!^m®SIE,IS.C Jl / ^- '^^Z^^ LIVES OF VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES VINICOMBE PENROSE, K.C.B., AND CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN, KNIGHT OF THE RDS3UN ORDERS OF ST. GEORGQ AND ST. VLADIMIR. BY THEIR NEPHEW, THE REV. JOHN PENROSE, FORMERLY OV OORtDS OHKISTI OOLLSaB IN OXFORD. LONDON : JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE 1850. ■>«k-^ 4i, :i>Ai # h LONDON : OEOROE WOODPALL AND SON, ANOSL COURT, 8KINNKR 8TRRKT. ^.y.-'^A:^^ TO REAE-ADMIRAL COODE. «# w My dear Admiral, The natural preface to this volume is, I think, a letter to you. As being not only yourself one of our uncle's nephews, but also as having mar- ried one of his daughters, and as the father of his grandchildren, you and they, although you can hardly any of you have loved him better than I did, are his proper representatives, and the fittest guardians of his memory. My account of Admi- ral Penrose is also chiefly compiled from materials with which you have furnished me; and that of Captain Trevenen from the very detailed manu- script life of him, which our uncle drew up. All this you of course already know very well ; but, as I mean this letter to take the place of a preface to a published book, I wish to state here particularly, that the materials which I have A 2 "Kjyrnfw^^<>\\ .-.. ,r-« iv DEDICATION. used for Admiral Penrose's life consist, first, in a brief manuscript life of her father, written by his youngest daughter, the sister of your late wife; secondly, in the accounts of his and your pro- fessional life and services which are inserted in Marshall's and Ralfe's Naval Biographies ; thirdly, in a very long and particular manuscript relation by himself of his services in the Adour and the Gironde, and afterwards in the Mediterranean; and lastly, in the miscellaneous collection which you have of various documents written or pre- served by him, and among the rest two manuscript volumes, to which he gave the title of the Pilot. In some few instances I may have to refer also to ray own personal recollections of him, and to his conversations with myself. I bad not at first intended to put this volume into the hands of a bookseller, but merely to print a few copies for our own relations and private friends. Any strangers to us, into whose hands the book may fall, should, I think, know that this was my first meaning ; and though a very limited number of copies will now be printed for sale, my original object in compiling it remains what it was. DEDICATION. V Our own generation, as we both of us know and feel, is fast slipping away; and I have therefore wished to put on record, before it be too late the domestic examples of active virtue and true religion which these pages contain. If my exe- cution of this task shall be found useful or grateful to our own families and connections, and especially to yourself, and to your descendants and my own, all the end which I have proposed to myself in undertaking it will be sufficiently answered. The task itself) if a task it is to be called, has been full of pleasure to me, and in nothing more than in the personal communications respecting it which I have had with yourself, and in the opportunity which it gives me of thus subscribing myself your always faithful and affectionate relation and friend, JOHN PENROSE. ExMOtJTH, Jan. 10, 1860. Ik AH' CONTENTS. I ' V LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. CHAPTER 1. From his birth to his settling at Ethy, in 1708 . . 8 CHAPTER II. From his settling at Ethy to his entrance of the Gironde, in March, 1814 17 CHAPTER III. Occupation of the Gironde, and stay at Bordeaux. (March 28~May 19, 1814.) ..... 88 CHAPTER IV. From leaving Bordeaux to his arrival at Naples, May 28, 1815 . . . .... 61 CHAPTER V. From his return to Messina in May, 1815, to his leaving Tunis, April 28, 1816 . . . .66 ! ; CHAPTER VI. Expedition to Algiers . . . . . . 83 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. pm* From leaving Algiers, September 1, 1816, to the conclusion of his visit to AH Pasha, in Feb- ruary, 1818 Od CHAPTER VIII. To his return to England in May, 1810 . lis CHAPTER IX. Of Admiral Penrose in his profession, and of his general character «....*.. 126 CHAPTER X. Conclusion. (1819—1830.) . Ui 6 ' NOTES. A. Rev. John Penrose, Vicar of Gluvias . . .151 B. Rev. John Penrose, Rector of Fled borough . .153 C. Letter from the Captains of the merchant ships convoyed to Barbadoes ... D. Observations in the West Indies . E. Admiral Penrose's nephew, C. V. Pentose F. Commissariats . . , > O. Entrance of the Adour in 1814 . . H. Ferdinand of Naples . . . . I. Seamanship and signals . . . K. Letters from the Cleopatra's ship's company in 1797 . . .174 L; Mr. Ritchie and Captain Lyon . ■ . . ; • < 178 / *» 155 156 16a 168 165 168 169 CONTENTS. LIFE OF CAPTAIN TREVENEN. CHAPTER I. Pift From his birth to his return in 1780 from the voyage round the world with Captain Cook . . .183 CHAPTER II. From his return to England to his brother Matthew's death in 1786 908 CHAPTER III. To his arrival at Petersburgh, October 7, 1787 . . dU4 CHAPTER IV. To the end of the campaign of 1788 .... 337 CHAPTER V. From his marriage, February, 1789, to March, 1790 . 854 CHAPTER VI. From the commencement of naval operations in May, 1790, to his death 969 NOTES. A. Rev. John Trevenen of Bosewame . . . . S91 B. Matthew Trevenen : and of the two eldest brothers, John and Thomas 391 <. Unpopularity of Gustavus in Finland . . . 399 D. Wreck of the Rodialaff 399 // 1 -- "' . mm . ■ ■i^H u i n P^wi* wwiii rn y^nfr^ ^■— ''^-^W* f^ w LIFE ov SIR CHARLES VINICOMBE PENROSE, K.C.B,, TICE-ADHIRAL OF THE WHITE, KNIOBX GRAND 0R0S3 OF THE IONIAN ORDER OF SI. MIOHAIL AND ST. OEOROE, AND OF TFB ROYAL NEAPOLITAN ORDER OF ST. FERDINAND AND OF MERIT. LIFE OP VICE-ADMIRAL SIR CHARLES VINICOMBE PENROSE, K.C.B. CHAPTER I. FROM HIS BIHTH TO HIS SETTLING AT ETHY, IN 1798. Charles Vinicombe Penrose was the youngest son and child of the Rev. John Penrose*, vicar of St. Gluvias in Cornwall, and was born at Gluvias, June 20, 1759. He was a boy of great anima- tion and alacrity; and the anecdote has been preserved, that one of his young friends, who had come to Gluvias at a time when he was absent from home, exclaimed in a half cry, " My heart misgave me, as I came up the lane, and heard no noise." Early in 1772 he was admitted into the naval academy at Portsmouth, under Mr. Witchell, at that time the head-master, with whom, and with whose family, he maintained through life an affec- * See note A at the end of this Memoir. B 2 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. I tionate intercourse. There were, at this time, about twenty-five youths in the academy, of from thirteen to seventeen years of age. Among these was an elder boy of the name of Macrae, of whom he used to speak in after-years with grateful remembrance, for having first introduced him into the ways of the place. Nor did he ever forget " the mild and steady friendship " borne him by Pole, afterwards Sir Charles Pole, both during the short period of their stay together in the academy, and all their subsequent, though not very frequent, intercourse in after life. The " clever but eccentric " Mr. James Ward was also at this period one of his closest intimates. But the coming to the school, in 1773, of James Trevenen, whose eldest sister he afterwards married, was the event which, as he has said himself in a brief retrospect of this period of his life, in one of his manuscript volumes, " gave him the first know- ledge of that warm and endearing character of reciprocal affection, which makes friendship the true cordial in the cup of life." In the spring of 1775, young Penrose left the academy, and was appointed midshipman on board the Levant frigate, Capt. Murray, under whose command he passed the whole period of his service during the next twenty-two years of his life, and who (with one trifling exception) was the only captain with whom he ever sailed, either as THE LEVANT FRIGATE, 177ti- midshipman or as lieutenant. While in the Levant he visited the Mediterranean, and in March, 1776, anchored, for the first time, in the Bay of Algiers. The object of this visit to Algiers was to restore to their country five Algerines who had been in slavery at Malta, but had escaped on board an English frigate, the Alarm, and so be- come free. The pleasing office of taking them ashore was assigned to Penrose, then a midship- njan, and not seventeen years old. It also fell to his lot, at the same time, to rescue three Minor- quins (the natives of Minorca being at that time Enghsh subjects) from captivity in Algiers. This adventure, if it may be so called, made a great impression on him at the time, and he has left a full account of it in one of his later journals. It will be seen hereafter that, forty years afterwards (forty years almost to a day), he again entered the same bay with the like, though larger, object of adjusting the treaty for the liberation of Christian slaves, which Lord Exmouth had begun. By a remarkable coincidence, } oung Pellew, after- wards Lord Exmouth, then also a midshipman, had been at Algiers only a day or two before the anival of the Levant in 1776. Admiral Penrose, throughout life, used to speak of himself as having been treated, while in this ship, with particular kindness by the first lieu- tenant, afterwards Sir Erasmus Gu\\er. lie also >E r I n 6 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. here acquired the friendship of Mr. W. Browell, afterwards lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hos- pital, of Sir Henry Bayntun, Mr. James Rose, and Lieutenant Maude. " These form the friend- ships," he says, in one of his memorandums, " established at this time among my immediate companions: but this era gave me also many other valuable friends, amongst whom Lord Hugh Seymour was most conspicuous, and our juvenile friendship never cooled." The Levant returned to England in 1779, and in August of that year Penrose was made lieu- tenant, and, shortly after, appointed to the Cleo- patra. In 1780 he went, for a few days, from Plymouth to his elder brother's* at Cardynham, where he then saw his mother for the last time. His father had died in 1776. All the summer, and a part of the winter, of 1780 was passed in cruising off the Flemish banks. Capt. Murray was then sent with a small squadron to intercept the trade which the Ameri- cans were carrying on with Gottenburgh, by passing to the north of the Shetland Islands. The biting cold made this a service of extreme hard- ship, and the young lieutenant, now first-lieutenant, suffered severely. The illness of his captain, and the incapacity of some of the other officers, threw on him almost the whole care of the ship, and ■- See note B at the end of this-^Iemoir. CLEOPATRA, 1780, 1781. this under circumstances which required the skill and caution of the seaman to be ever on the alert. " I had, however," he says, " no time to nurse myself, though I had pleurisy, besides my chil- blains. For these latter I used to have warm vinegar and sal ammoniac brought frequently on deck, and, to allay the raging pain, dipped thin gloves into this mixture, and put them on under thick worsted mittens. 1 believe that this was not a very safe experiment, but I found it abso- lutely necessary to allay the acute pain and to enable me to do my duty. At one time rheu- matism had so got hold of me that I was not able to stand, but lay wrapped up in flannel, &c., on an arm-chest on the fore-part of the quarter- deck, to give my orders. " On one occasion, in a very severe gale, the ship covered with frozen snow, the main topmast was carried away; we were the whole of the day clearing the wreck; and I was much fatigued, but obliged to keep the first watch. We were lying to, under bare poles, and I had sent all the men under shelter, except one man at the helm, and the mate of the watch; and I had, with much difficulty, cleared a place for myself between two of the guns, where, holding by a rope, I could move two or three short paces backwards and forwards. About nine o'clock, my messmates sent to ask if I would have anything, and I, f 8 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. thoughtlessly, ordered a glass of warm brandy- and-water, which they as thoughtlessly sent. I drank about half, and gave the rest to the mate. In a minute or two I felt a glow of warmth, and a sensation of exquisite pleasure. Health, anima- tion, freedom from fatigue, all came in their climax of comfort. The next minute, I said, ' I will go to sleep,' and fell, sleeping, on the deck. Fortunately for me, my comrade was an old sea- man, and he instantly knew my case, and dragged me down the ladder. I was put to bed ; was badly treated, as I was rubbed with spirits ; but, after excruciating pain, I recovered. Had the officer of the watch been a young gentleman without experience, I should never have told my story." In August, 1781, the Cleopatra was in the action off the Dogger Bank; and some notes, relative to this action, which were made by Lieut. Penrose at the time, are inserted in Admiral Ekins's account of naval battles. In 1783 the Cleopatra was paid off. "At this time," he says, " after having been for eleven years conversant only with nautical affairs, I really felt a great puzzle to know how a shore life could be at all endured. I had entered into my profession with all my heart, and was at this time as nearly a fish as a finless animal can become." He had not lost, however, his love for his family, nor was without a longing to revisit his native county; PERRAN UTHNO, 1783. and after a visit of some weeks to London, he took up his home with his unmarried sisters at Perran Uthno, where also his brother tlien resided. — At this time some of the leading members of the borough of Penryn, which is in the parish of Gluvias, offered to exert their influence to procure him promotion, coupling this offer, however, with the condition that he should become a voter iu the borough. There is not a doubt but that the influence thus offered would have been effectual ; and the proposition thus made out of respect and affection for his father's memory could not but be gratifying, and kindly received. Neither yet can there have existed in the whole navy a man more desirous to get forward in his profession, or more ambitious of the distinctions to which his advancement in it might open the way. At this period, also, many of the possessors of the borough privileges in Cornwall were greatly blinded to the corruptions of the system under which they lived ; and it might be harsh to pass a severe judgment on their too great insensibiUty to its true nature and character. But this young lieutenant was not a man who could be either deceived or seduced into any the least compromise of integrity; and he replied immediately that he had rather remain a lieutenant all his life than become a captain by the means proposed. Consequently, he did not obtain i)ost rank till 1794. 10 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. There is never any sacrifice made to principle which is not at some time, or in some way, fully rewarded. But Admiral Penrose's friends may bo allowed here to reflect in passing how much this sacrifice cost him. If the war, which broke out in 1793, had found him a captain of ten years' stand- ing, instead of only a lieutenant, there is hardly any place in his profession which he might not, and would not, have attained and adorned; and he would also have obtained his flag at a period when the naval greatness of England shone with its highest lustre and renown. It should be added, that his reprobation of the borough system of re- presentation never relaxed during his after-life. — During his residence at Perran his attachment commenced to Miss Trevenen, the elder sister of his brother's wife, an attachment which the long time which elapsed before they could marry served only to strengthen, and which abated not till the bond was broken by death. They were married at Constantine, then his brother's curacy, January 2, 1787, and settled at a cottage called Pellour, in the village of Breage. But few memorials are left of Lieutenant Pen- rose's personal history during the period which in- tervened between his return to Cornwall and the date of his marriage. It must not be forgotten, however, that in 1785 he accompanied his late commander and constant friend, Captain Murray, PELLOUR, 1787. 11 from London into Scotland, and passed tho Christ- mas at Blair Athol. He also paid other visits in that neighbourhood, in which he acquired many friends ; and he always subsequently looked back on this journey as among tho most agreeable inci- dents of his life. — One amusing recollection of it was brought back to his mind, more than twenty- five years afterwards, in a letter on service which he received when at Gibraltar, from Sir Thomas Graham, subsequently Lord Lynedoch, who was off Tariffa. The acting tho play of the " Critic " had been among the festivities of the winter which he passed at Blair ; and both he and Sir Thomas had taken parts as performers. This dispatch from Tariffa was expressed by quoting from that play the following appropriate line : — " I cannot see the Spanish fleet, because 'tis not in sight." After his marriage Lieut. Penrose lived at Pellour between six and seven years. All his children, three daughters*, were born at this place, which he scarcely quitted during the whole time, except on the occasion of the Spanish armament in 1790, when he accompanied Capt. Murray into * Elizabeth, who married in 1819, Captain, now Rear- Admiral Coode, C.B., and died at Plymouth, March 7, 1849. Charlotte Murray, married in 1817, to Capt. William Mainwaring, died in 1823. Jane, died at Ethy, 31st July, 1831. ,f?n- MBtMi»«a I I 12 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. the J)(fence 74. In 1793 he again joined his former captain in the Duke 98, in which he went with him to the West Indies, and was present at the attack of Martinique, by Lord Gardner, in the month of June in tliat year. After his return to Enghmd he again followed Capt. Murray into the Gloiy 98, and the Resolution 74. In April, 1794, Capt. Murray was made Rear-Admiral, and ap- pointed to the command on the Halifax station ; and at the samo time Lieut. Penrose was made commander into the Lynx sloop, in which he also sailed for Halifax. He was made post into his old ship, the Cleopatra, in June, and his post com- mission bears date October 7 of the same year. When ready for sea he was sent to Bermuda for the purpose of examining the harbour and channel, which had been discovered by Lieut. Hurd, the late hydrographer to the Admiralty ; and he made a report on the nature of the anchorage, and the safety of the passage into it, and suggested several improvements which have since been carried into effect*. * Shortly after the performance of this service, a singular and inexplicable accident befel his skip while crossing the Gulf Stream, in its course towards Cape Hatteras. The night was densely dark, and the ship under a reefed foresail, and mizen staysail ; when all at once, after very vivid lightning and a loud explosion, the wind shifted in a heavy squall, so as to bring the ship up several points, with her head to a very high and much-agitated hica, giving her at the samo time CLEOPATRA, 1700. 13 Capt. Pciiroso aftorwnnls commanded for a time Admiral Murray's flag sliip, the Um^ntion, during Capt. Pender's absence ; and, in the latter ond of 1790, again returned to the Clc: CLEOPATRA, 1797- 15 thought, ' I do not recollect ever to have felt anger towards you in my life.' " With regard to Admiral Murray himself, James Trevenen, who became acquainted with him on paying a visit to his friend Penrose, when the Cleopatra was refitting at Sheerness in 1780, speaks of him at that time as follows : — " I never knew," he says, " a more agreeable man than Capt. Murray. More solicitous to create in his officers a love of his person than an awe of his office, he entirely throws aside that affected state and reserve by which most captains think they preserve their authority; and though not hail fellow well met with every one he meets, his behaviour is such a well-tempered mixture of easy affability, cheerfulness, and becoming dignity, as cannot fail of making a prepossession in his favour. For Charles Penrose's sake I received many civili- ties from him." The Cleopatra, on this return to England, was laid up for some months at Portsmouth, in dock; and, at no long time after her repairs were com- pleted, the mutiny broke out at Spithead. No officer could, at this time, be of tranquil mind ; but Captain Penrose had this unspeakable satis- faction, that his own crew, from the beginning to the end of this anxious period, resisted the mischievous influences then at work, and thus rewarded his principle of always dealing with 16 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. them as with reasonable beings, and, even while requiring the most absolute obedience, treating them as friends. But of his conduct on that occasion, further details will be found in a fiiture chapter*. The Cleopatra afterwards joined the fleet of cruisers, in the Channel, under Sir Ed- ward Pellew. Captain Penrose's health, which had been previously in a very precarious state, could not but be much shaken by the events of this difficult time. Yet he would not quit his ship till the storm was blown over. Then, scarcely able to endure the bidding farewell to his ship's company, and the affectionate regrets and gratitude which they expressed on his leav- ing them, he returned to his home. A subse- quent visit to Bath restored his health; and, in May, 1798, he left Pellour, and took a lease for his own life, and the lives of his daughters, of the house and farm at Ethy, near Lostwithiel. Here he entered with his characteristic alacrity of character into agricultural pursuits and im- provements, by which he was always greatly attracted, and into the society of the many family and other friends who surrounded him. * See Chapter IX. CHAPTER II. FROM HIS SETTLING AT ETHY, IN 1798, TO HIS ENTBANCE OF THE GIRONDE, IN MARCH, 1814. After some months passed in this charming residence at Ethy, the re-establishment of Cap- tain Penrose's health induced, and indeed re- quired, him to apply again for employment ; and, early in 1799, he was appointed to the Sans Pareil, of 80 guns. General Tremenheere, then Captain of Marines in this fine ship, still lives, almost the last of his contemporaries, to retrace the recollection, which these pages will suggest to him, of having thus served under the com- mand of his early friend, and of the uninterrupted regard for each other which they always main- tained. The Sans Pareil bore, at this time, the flag of Lord Hugh Seymour, and was destined for the West Indies. But Lord Hugh himself went out to his station in the Tamar frigate, and Captain Penrose, therefore, remained for some time attached to the Channel fleet. He was with Sir Charles Pole, when the attempt was made to destroy the Spanish ships at the Isle c 18 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. d'Aix, and he afterwards proceeded with a large convoy to the West Indies, where he joined Lord Hugh. On his arrival at Barbadoes, after a long and fatiguing passage, he received the thanks of the captains of the merchantmen con- voyed, expressed in a manner too honourable, both to them and to himself, not to be here preserved in a note. Many of his observations, also, on the system of agriculture which he then saw practised in Jamaica, and on the state of the slaves, will be found to deserve the like preservation*. Captain Penrose arrived in the West Indies in the early part of 1800, and continued on this station till the death of his friend and admiral, in 1801, when he removed to the Carnatic, in which ship he continued till the termination of hostilities in 1802, and in which he returned to Plymouth, in the month of July, in that year. His health was now again broken, partly by the effects of a coup de soleil, while in the West Indies, but, perhaps, still more by the men- tal anxiety brought on by the long illness of his friend and admiral, and his excellent wife Lady Horatia, to both of whom he paid the most anxious and unremitting attention. " While on that fatal station, I had to receive," he says, " the last pressure of Lord Hugh's hand, whilst his * See notes C and D at the end of tliis Memoir. SANS PAREIL, 1800, 1801. 19 dying looks were impressively cast on me. Lady Horatia left us a little before her lord's death, which she did not survive long enough to hear of. Husband, wife, and child died within three months of each other, each ignorant of each other's death." Besides this great loss (and no friendship was ever dearer or closer than that by which he had long been united to Lord Hugh Seymour*), he also suffered most severely from the death of his nephew, Charles Penrose, who was nothing less to him than an adopted son, and who died in May, 1800, almost immediately after his promotion to the rank of lieutenantt. On hearing of his ill- ness, his uncle had him brought immediately on board the Sans Pareil, and placed him in his own cot. When all possible care and skill had proved unavailing, and the body had, as is needful in that climate, been committed to the deep on the evening of the death. Captain Penrose imme- diately took possession of his bed again, and lay in it the same night. He knew how much fever is produced by the dread of it, and, consequently, understood the importance of practically evi- dencing the belief tliat it is not an infectious disease. * Capt. Penrose was the writer of the brief life of Lord Hugh which was published in the " Naval Chronicle." f See note E at the end of this Memoir. c 2 SMfe^^Ji'S'****''''' sii^ ia^^SaiiJNai mm 20 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. 1 1 Hi ! Captain Penrose, soon after his return to England in the Carnaiic, took his family again to Bath, where both his own health, and that of his wife, which had always been infirm, were greatly renovated. From Bath he proceeded on a long visit to his brother in Nottinghamshire. On the resumption of hostilities in 1803, though still feeling the effects of the coup de soleil, he offered his service for sea, but was surprised by receiving an appointment to raise and command the Padstow district of Sea Fencibles, on the north coast of Cornwall, a district which ex- tended from the Land's End to Hartland Point. The state of his health was assigned as the reason for offering him this home employ. He con- tinued in this command till the Sea Fencibles were broken up in 1810, and, during this period, he divided his time between his residence at Ethy, and his station at Padstow. His health and strength now became perfectly re-esta1)lished. He would frequently walk from Ethy to Pad- stow, or from Padstow to Ethy. His little farm was one of the many, but never burdensome, objects of his diligent care. Always alive to the interests of his own profession, he contributed, at this time, many letters to the " Naval Chronicle," under the signatures of A. F. Y. and E. F. G. He spared no exertion to procure the erection of a lighthouse on Trevose Head. He entered with PAD8T0W, 1803-1810. 21 return to nily again d that of irm, were iceeded on rhamshire. )3, though e soleil, he rprised by command Bs, on the which ex- land Point, the reason He con- Fencibles ;his period, (sidence at His health (Stal)lished. ly to Pad- little farm |urdensome, Jive to the [tributed, at Chronicle," [1 E. F. G. erection of iitered with ■I * m. his characteristic eagerness into the efforts which were, at this time, set on foot, to procure a reform in Parliament, aiding them, as much as he could, both by his presence at public meetings, and by his pen. And he also completed, at this time, a lengthened memoir of his dear friend, James Trevenen, of which an abridgment will form the second portion of this volume, and which was as much a labour of love for the regretted and admired object of his own youthful attachment, as of kindliness for their common friends and relatives, at whose desire he undertook the office of compiling it. In 1810 Capt. Penrose was appointed to the chief command at Gibraltar, with the rank of Commodore. He hoisted his flag on board the San Juan sheer hulk in the New Mole, and had to direct the proceedings of a large flotilla which proved of great utility in the defence of Cadiz and Tariffa, and also in other operations against the French army under Marshal Soult*. During this period of his stay at Gibraltar, the governor's house (Governor Campbell's) was to him almost another home, and here, as every- where, he acquired the grateful respect and affec- * Some account of the services of this flotilla will be found in the memoirs of Capt. Sir Thomas Fellowes, Frederick Jennings Thomas, and William Henry Smyth, in Ralfe's " Naval Biography." ■fifmnf^ix.>f^^'' '" smm , i:|li:li LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. tion of ver many persons to whom he rendered services, or to whom he gave useful advice. Also, both on leaving this station, and in many after periods of his life, he received most gratifying testimonials of the sense entertained, by the English merchants in the place, of his unremitting care of their interests. Nor were those merchants with whom his subsequent commands brought him into communication less sensible of, or less grateful for, his attentions to them. — While at Gibraltar he was made Colonel of Marines. He returned home in January, 1813. Not well when he left his station*, he caught cold on the voyage, and returned to his family circle weak and emaciated. But by degrees, though slowly, he recovered, and was again able to enjoy the society of his friends, and re-enter into his home pursuits. I ! On the 22nd of October, 1813, Sir Thomas Byam Martin, Capt. Wainwright, and Capt. Pen- rose were appointed to examine and revise the * It is stated in the accouat of Sir Charles Penrose, in- serted in the " United Service Journal," that his spirits had heen wounded v?hile he was at Gibraltar, by the misconduct of a near connection. Doubtless the misconduct and unhappy fate of the ofiBcer who must here be alluded to was painfully felt by a man than whom none was ever more zealous to promote the interests, and to rejoice in the prosperity, of every young I ' PLYMOUTH, 1813. 23 store department of the dockyard at Plymouth. This was a branch of the public service to which Capt. Penrose's attention had long been directed. He had had, some communications respecting it in 1806, with his friend Sir Charles Pole, then a Lord of the Admiralty, and he was now engaged in a correspondence on the subject with the Duke of Clarence, whom he had known personally when on the Halifax station in the earlier part of the war. The defects of the existing system, and the indulgent spirit frequently manifested towards the contractors for stores, may be, perhaps, not un- fairly judged of from the following anecdotes. A fleet, equipped about this time on the fresh-water lakes of Canada, was supplied with an apparatus for distilling saltwater; and, though built on spots surrounded by innumerable birch trees, with birch brooms sent out from England in the usual abun- dance. Canadian spars and Canadian plank were also despatched from Deptford to Canada, at the expenditure of more than their original cost in this double voyage*. . There cannot be a doubt but that Capt. Pen- rose's services would have been exceedingly useful man (and there were many) whom he had befriended. But the author of this article in the journal is in error in speaking of this person as a near connection of Sir Charles Penrose. He was a third or fourth cousin of his wife. * See note F at the end of the volume. m ismmmmmm u LIFE OF ADMIRAL FENROSE. in this office, especially as his coadjutors were men for whom he entertained the highest respect and regard, and with whom he was in perfect accordance. But his retention of it was very soon intercepted by his unexpected promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, on the 4th of December of the same year ; and by his appointment, shortly afterwards, to superintend the naval service connected with Lord Wellington's army, then advanced as far as the Pyrenees. It was surmised by many, that the recent promotion of flag officers had been made at this time chiefly for the purpose of including his own name in the list, and with a view to his appointment to this particular service. It was evidently a service which required a man not only of the ability, but also of the many conciliatory and acceptable qualities, which he was well known vn possess, and which are always of peculiar value in caees in which the array and navy are called to act con- jointly with each other. The new admiral was permitted to select his own captain, and named his nephew, Capt., now Rear-Admiral, Coode, who was appointed accordingly. His orders were to proceed to the small port of Passages, on the north-east coast of Spain, and there to hoist his flag on board the Porcupine ; and the Challenger brig, Capt. Vernon, was fitted out, with the least delay possible, to take him to his station. PASSAGES, 1814. 25 Admiral Penrose arrived at Passages* Jan. 27, 1814. On the 29th he landed at the head of the harbour, near the convent of Renteria, and rode with Sir George Collier and Capt. Coode to the army's head-quarters at St. Jean de Luz. " One of the scenes," he says, " of deepest interest on this ride vras, when, arriving at the summit of a very high hill, we saw the valley of the Bidassoa spread before us, the old town of Fontarabia on our left; and on the opposite bank of the river, and near us, the rising ground on which the British flag first waved on the land of France in modern times. We descended from this summit by a good and admirably-formed road, making the declivity almost as nothing, and crossed the bridge which had been built by Napoleon, and which had been broken down by his generals. It was now repairing by the order of Lord Wellington. This bridge was again destroyed in the August following, by orders of Ferdinand, as soon as the * On arriviug off this little port, it was found convenient to transfer a boat, which he had brought from Plymouth in the Challenger, on board a small schooner which was conveying his luggage. " The jolly tar, who commanded the schooner, volunteered with great good humour to take in the boat, which was in a minute or two safe on his deck, by a simple process, which made me ashamed of the unwieldy machinery I should have adopted ; but the good fellow said, ' We as has been smugglers are forced to be pretty sharpish in these here matters,'" m 80 LIF£ OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. ■ i i English troops had crossed again to the Spanish side. The contrast between the smiling aspect of the French territory, and the sombre character of the adjacent region of Spain, was, as has been a thousand times observed, remarkable, and almost startling. It was, as is well known, a common observation among the soldiery, that they were got into Yorkshire. Nor was the contrast less in the aspect of the inhabitants. Absolutely, the difference is as great on the two sides of the Bidassoa, as if the great wall of China had been there for a thousand generations without allowing of the slightest intercourse, and then suddenly thrown down. On one side, cheerful and cleanly activity ; on the other, drowsy indolence. On one side, they sit during their miserable cold winters, which descend in every intolerable shape from the Pyrenees, over a charcoal brazier, with their lazy heads nodding together ; whilst, a few yards off, their French neighbours are reading, singing, or acting, round the blaze of a cheerful wood fire. On one side, a century would not produce a civil expression to a stranger to put on record; whilst on the other, the first peasants you met would greet you with manners superior to your own. A Frenchman would be kinder to a foe than a Spaniard to a friend. I do not think, however, that the national character in Andalusia was so debased as I found it in Biscay." I'ASSAOES, 1814. 27 ' On the Admirars return to Passages, after a stay of three days at head-quarters, he was joined by Sir Henry Bunbury, who had been sent out from England to e idcavour to check the expense of the army commissariats, and was now on his return home. The Due d'Angouleme also, under the title of Count Pradel, and his friend, the Vis- count do Damas, landed fipom England: unwel- come visitors at a time when it might be difficult to protect their persons, or to prevent some pre- mature declaration in behalf of the Bourbons*. The chief business which now devolved on the naval service was, to make the necessary prepara- * During Sir Henry Bunbury's stay at Passages, Admiral Penrose paid, in company with him and Sir George Collier, his first visit to St. Sebastians. " The fine church," he says, " of that fortress, was at this time in possession of the British commissariat. Large quantities of provisions were stored in it, and mules, asses, and oxen were busily employed in bring- ing in wheat discharged from the vessels in the port. The organ was covered with thick dust, with com sacks, butchers' aprons, and rags; and the butchers were cutting up fresh slaughtered meat on the high altar — one of the most elaborate compositions of collected rare marbles I ever saw. I went into a large repository, which contained a great number of images, and groups of figures, exhibited in procession on days of festa. Accident had defaced some of these, but no wilful injury had been done to any, except to those of Pilate and the apostate Judas. In no one instance had the image of the Saviour himself received the slightest injury, although the most scrupulous attention must have been used to protect it." mtmm mm 28 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. .ill ! •! tions for throwing a floating bridge across the A dour. This bridge was to be composed of small coasting vessels, decked boats, cables, and planks. Above the bridge were to be anchored for its protection as many gun-boats as could be furnished, and, to guard both these and the bridge from fire-vessels or rafts, a boom was also to be laid across the river farther up the stream. These measures were consequent on the investment of Bayonne; and Admiral Pen- rose, for the purpose of concerting preliminaries with Lord Wellington, removed on the 18th of February to St. Jean de Luz. A flotilla was soon got ready, but the weather prevented its sailing for some time. Great difRculties were to be expected in passing the bar of the river, which, at the place where the bridge was to be built, was 400 yards wide, and where the ebb tide occasionally ran at the rate of eight miles an hour. The Admiral determined, therefore, to superintend the operation in person. On the afternoon of the 22nd he left the harbour of Socoa, in the Porcupine, convoying some tran- sports and several large country boats or coasting vessels laden with materials. But squally weather and baffling winds came on during the night, and Jie was unable to bring up the flotilla off" the bar till the morning of the 24th. Mr. Gleig, the author of the " Subaltern," then THE ADOUR, 1814. 29 a lieutenant of the 85tli Light Infantry, has given a lively account of the breathless anxiety with which the operation of passing it on that day was viewed from the shore. A more perilous service was never attempted, nor carried through with more ardour or perseverance. It was nearly high water, and the wind fair ; both officei's and soldiers gathered on the heights around, and the passage of each vessel was eagerly watched, from the moment it was immersed among the foaming breakers until it had fairly threaded the tremendous ordeal. Some few vessels un- fortunately broached to, and instantly sunk ; but, on the whole, the attempt fully succeeded, and with fewer casualties than could have been expected. General Sir John Hope, who com- manded on shore, said, in a letter to the Admiral, " I have often seen how gallantly the navy will devote themselves, when serving with an army, but I never before witnessed so bold and hazardous a co-operation, and you have my most grateful thanks. # # * j wrote to you, in the course of last night, to say how much we stood in need of boats, seamen, &c. ; but when I saw the flotilla approach the wall of heavy surf, I regretted all I had said."* As soon as the boats had thus entered the river, no time was lost in running those which * See note G at the end of this Memoir, wwag Warn «IIHH 80 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. Ul! II ! f,a ; lit were intended to form the bridge up to their stations, where the bridge was rapidly formed ; and, at dawn on the following day, it was de- clared that infantry might cross it with safety. On the 27th, Bayonne was closely invested by Sh* John Hope, and Marshal Soult completely routed, near Orthes, by the main body of the allies. On the same day, the Admiral returned to Passages. A period of very severe weather succeeded, and his private journal of this period contains much remark on the danger and inconvenience arising from the crowded state of the harbour, and on the fury with which, at this " bottona of the net " of the Bay of Biscay, and at this period of the year, the surge beat on the precipitous shore. On the 18th of March, he received a letter from the Due d'Angouleme, dated Bourdeaux, March 14, containing intelligence of the acknowledg- ment of the authority of Louio XVIII. in that town, and introductory of two officers, who were bearers of despatches for England with this news. Both these officers wore the white cockade, and one of them was in the old French uniform. On the 22nd, Admiral Penrose received in- structions from the Duke of Wellington, dated the 17th, to occupy the Gironde; and this, es- pecially with a view to the making an attack on the Fort of Blaye. In expectation that he might have to enter that difficult river, the Admiral had 11 ENTRANCE OF THE GIRONDE, 1814. 31 previously endeavoured to secure the assistance of persons acquainted with the navigation, but without success. He therefore sent forward the Lyra sloop, to gain intelligence on the coast. On the 23rd, the weather forbade to leave the port ; but, on the 24th, the Admiral sailed in the Porcupine, taking with him the Kangaroo, the Vesuvius bomb-vessel, and the brigs Podargus and Martial. On the evening of the 25th, he reached the rendezvous which he had appointed, off the Corduan Lighthouse ; and had there the good fortune of being joined, before night closed in, by the Egmont 74, the Andromache, and his old acquaintance, the Challenger. On the next day, the Belle Poule, Captain Harris, was added to his force, and he removed his flag to the Egmont. On the 27th, at early dawn, he en- tered the river, the Andromac/ie taking the lead. The want of pilots, and the haziness of the at- mosphere, rendered the navigation difficult and intricate. The conree taken was within eaay reach of the shot from the enemy's batteries, on the right bank of the river. But these passed clear of the ships, and every considerable danger was successfully passed, when a clear sun and cheering glow broke forth, to animate the pro- gress up the stream. Early in the afternoon, the whole squadron anchored in safety in the Verdun Roads. The Belle Poule, only, had grounded for ji] i 'j mmmmm 82 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. I! 1 a short time, but, though within range of an enemy's battery, had been got off' without loss. The skill with which this whole service had been conducted was very highly estimated by all naval men ; and it was matter of much surprise to the French seamen, that a fully-equipped ship of the line should successfully accomplish such an adventure. Their own 74, the Jtegtdus, had recently been sent round to the Gironde, from her station in the Basque Roads ; but it had been thought necessary previously to lighten her of her guns and stores. This ship and other smaller vessels of war were, at this time, at anchor off^ Royau ; but on the entrance of the English, they weighed, and ran higher up the river, pursued by the Eg- mont and her consorts, under a crowd of sail. Having proceeded as high as the shoal of Tal- mont, the French squadron entered the narrow channel between it and the main. In the me- moir of Captain Coode, which is given in Mar- shall's, and in the account of Sir C. Penrose in Ralfe's, Biography, the subsequent operations are stated at length. Neither in forcing the entrance of the river, nor in the many arduous services which followed, was either a single life lost, or the slightest injury sustained by the shipping. i :m CHAPTER III. HIS OCCUPATION OF THE GIRONDE AND STAY AT BOURDEAUX. MARCH 28 TO MAT 19, 1814. " A SINGULAR contrast," says Admiral Penrose, " was, at this time, presented by the two opposite sides of the Gironde. The whole of the popu- lation, on the right bank, were hearty friends to Napoleon ; the population of the left bank were friends, or pretended friends, of the Bourbons. On the one side, the batteries were deserted, and the white flag was displayed on the steeples of the churches, of which the bells gave peals of welcome as the squadron advanced. On the other side, the tricolor still waved, and the bat- teries were manned. The English seamen talked habitually among themselves of the French side, and of our side of the river. It is probable, however, or rather certain, that there was much hollowness in this pretence of attachment to the Bourbons which was thus put forward. Lord Dalhousie, who, at this time, commanded in Bourdeaux, was evidently of this opinion. He 34 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. r^T (■ ; " IH had recently been offered several thousand stand of arms which had been on board the vessel captured on entering the river, and this in the belief that he might think that they would be useful in arming a portion of ^he French ad- herents to the Bourbon cause. But he declined the offer, saying, " The people are zealous and loud to shout Vive le Roy ; but, in all other respects, are cold in the cause which they have taken up." In fact, by much the greater portion of the zeal for the restoration of the Bourbons, was based on fear of Napoleon; or on the ap- prehension that he might acquire the power of taking signal vengeance for the demonstrations v,'hich had been lately made in their behalf. At Bayonne, in the following June, Admiral Penrose remarked to Baron Thevenot, that he had observed that the imperial eagle was still worn. Thevenot replied, that it would be as yet dangerous to order it to be removed ; and it was ascertained that the soldiers still retained the tricolor cockades in the inside of their caps, ready for restoration to their old place. It was to be observed, also, that the white emblem of the Bourbons was as small, and as much concealed as possible. Again, at Passages, in July, a French naval officer, who sought shelter in the port, spoke of the general antipathy to the Bourbons as great and decided, and added that THE GIRONDE, 1814. 35 there was no doubt but that they would even then be again expelled, and the Emperor re- called, if the love of peace had not taken fast hold of the minds of the great mass of the people- The French 74, which had retreated up the river, had, at this time, taken shelter under the Talmont battery. On the 29th, Admiral Penrose dispatched Captain Coode with the Vesuvius, Podargus, Challenger, and Dwarf, together with a chasse-maree, which had been taken and fitted as a gun-boat, directing him to proceed up the Gironde as far as Medoc, or Pouillac. This movement had in view a possible attempt on the Fort of Blave, and on a tower in the Isle Pate, a rock in the mid channel, without the possession of which the attempt on Blaye would be greatly impeded. The fort on the Pate, however, was too strong, and the shores too steep and slimy, to think of attacking it ; and the attempt on Blaye was, consequently, sus- pended for the time, and finally rendered un- necessary by the events at Bourdeaux, and the termination of hostilities. On the 30th, the Admiral again removed to the Porcupine, and proceeded, accompanied by the Andromache, though still without pilots, to an anchorage off the town and fort of Castillon, a midway station between the Verdun Roads on the one side, and the advanced squadron under Cap- D 2 ■* 86 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. i! { tain Coode on the other. An attempt had been planned on the Regulus, and three brigs of war, wliich lay near her at anchor ; but the carrying this attempt into execution was intercepted by the enemy's setting the ships on fire a very short time before Captain Bingham was about to make the attack. The force which had been destined for this service was then sent, under the com- mand of Captain Harris, to dismantle the bat- teries along the right bank nf the river, between Talmont and the sea. On the 12th of April, the frigates unmoored, and advanced two or three leagues farther up the river to Trompe la loupe, steering their course close to the left bank, which was studded with neat villas and farms. " As we proceeded," says the Admiral, whose words shall here be made use of as much as possible, " all the inhabitants came out of their houses, or suspended their avocations, to gaze at their protectors, as we were esteemed on this side of the river. White flags were shown, wherever they could be procured, white handkerchiefs were waved, and the bells chimed from all the steeples." On the 8th, the Admiral landed at Pouillac. " The country," he says, which I had an opportunity of seeing, on this occasion, was very singular. Far as the eye could reach there was a continued undulation, very much like an Atlantic swell in a calm, and \ . \ BOURDEAUX, 1814. 37 it looked as if a sea, in such a state, had been suddenly fixed in shape, and, at the same time, converted into milk-v.'hite pebbles, for nothing else could be seen at even a small distance."* On Sunday, April 10, Admiral Penrose landed again at Pouillac, and proceeded in a carriage to Bordeaux, where he arrived at about 4 p.m. The news of the restoration of the Bourbons arrived from Paris at almost the same instant of time ; and it may be worth mentioning, that at an audience held immediately afterwards by the Due d'Angouleme, at the Archbishop's, the prelate turned to the Admiral and Lord Dalhousie, and ended a handsome compliment to the brave English, to whom all this consummation was seen to be due, by saying, in a very serious tone, " Voila la fin d'ouvrage de M. Pitt." The Admiral * " The vines," it is here added, " were in lines or ridges of thin pebbles, and pruned low, and not yet in leaf. The mayor of Pouillac, who attended me through the vineyards and his own extensive cellars, informed me that the high flavour of the wine of this district was supposed to arise from the powerful reflection from the white pebbles, by which the lower sides of the clusters of grapes were as thoroughly ripened as the upper sides by the direct rays of the sun. In some places the vines were trained high, for the purpose of saving the fruit for raisins ; and in the district of the Vin de Grave they are also trained high ; but the flavour of the best claret is supposed to arise from keeping them close to the ground." 88 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. %■ here took up his quarters in the Hotel de Fur- nel ; and, in the evening, obeyed the Due d'An- gouleme's command to meet him at the opera. " The opera-house was at some distance, and our slow progress through the vast assemblage was highly interesting. Every soul of the 70,000 inhabitants was out of doors, promenading in their best clothes, in the midst of as fine a night as ever was, and as bright an illumination as ever was lighted up. The gay enthusiasm of this lively people was really animating, and wherever we were recognised, the shouts of ' Vive le Roi,' • Vive I'Anglois,' were redoubled. * God save the King,' often followed * Vive Henri IV.' The illuminations were repeated on the following night ; and with the poor witticism of exhibiting a portrait of Napoleon, inserted in a far-waned moon, with the inscription * la lune en quartier.' This enthusiasm was stimulated by a very acute sense of the preservation which the recent events had afforded to this great city from the horrors of a seven dayii' pillage, which had been promised to an army assembled under the command of General de Caen. This General de Caen was a brutal officer, whom Nap 'eon had lately com- missioned to take signal vengeance on the Bor- delais for their real or suspected enmity or in- difference to him and his cause. One prudent calculator, in painting over the imperial arms BOURDEAUX, 1814. 39 the sign of his hotel, took care to lay on colours which would easily wash off, and which were washed off accordingly, when the return from Elba had changed the Bourbon prospects for a time. " There were still, however, some true Bour- bon reminiscences. Six fine old gentlemen of the royal navy of France, who had served during the whole of the revolutionary war of America, called on me, and said through their spokesman that they felt it their duty to express their gratitude for the generosity and humanity which had distinguished the warfare in the Gironde, and declared their happiness in seeing a British adnn'ral acting as their most powerful friend. These were cele- brated men in the days of Rodney, and gloried not a little at never having served under the tricolor flag. In good truth they were such per- fect specimens of the vielle cour that it might have been thought that they were dressed and powdered before the tocsin of revolution was first sounded." Two frigates were at this time at Bourdeaux on the stocks, and a small quantity of naval ? res, which might have been considered as a fair pri/;c ; but it was judged to be both liberal and expedient, under the particular circumstances of the case, to give them up, and the boon seemed to be very gratefully received. It seemed also to be very soon forgot. At least a young relative 40 LIFE OF ADMIRAL TBINROSE. mi m li of Admiral Pcnros. 's, who happened to be in Bourdcaux in 1837, had his inquiries into the events of tiiis campaign brought to an immediate close by assurances, given in the most perfect good faith, that no English admiral had ever been at Bourdeaux, and that as for an English squadron having entered the Gironde, the thing was impos- sible. On the 14th arrived from England the news of the breaking off of the negotiations at Chatillon ; and about the same time the account of the pro- position of the charter by the provisional govern- ment at Paris. This proposition was very unpo- pular with the Bordelais, who, as having been the first to hoist the white flag, thought that no steps should be taken in bringing the king back, without their concurrence. Hence burst out a great vehe- mence of declarations for absolute monarchy ; and *' le Roi seul " became the general cry. " Under this lively impresssion we were to meet at the theatre. The scene beggared all description. I went, as I thought, early, but the house was closely packed, nor was there space for one indi- vidual more, except in the box reserved for the British officers, and that of the Prince (the Due d'Angouleme), which was opposite to it. I entered well attended, and for a full half hour was obliged to bow to 3200 well-dressed persons in the part of the theatre allotted to the audience, and several m BOURDEAUX, 1814. 41 liuiulrods on the stage close to me. I had hoard that I was tremendously popular; and the good people seemed to seize the occasion thus pre- sented of making me think so. 'God Save the King,' and even * Rule Britannia,' were loudly called for, and played, and the English sailor's hornpipe was demanded by acclamation. The tune which bore this denomination at Bourdcaux was the old college hornpipe, the first country dance I had learned at the academy at Portsmouth, and I believe the last I ever danced in Cornwall. It was a singularly-animated spectacle when all this assembled multitude either danced, sang, or beat time to their merry roundabout tune to- gether, not only with delight but enthusiasm. And it so happened that in the parquette, the part of the theatre where there are no seats, some of our jolly Jack-tars beat the flooring with heel and toe. A French assemblage only, animated by such impressions as the passing time produced, could have offered such a spectacle to a stranger's eye. There was not a man, or woman, or child in the theatre, who did not suit either voice or action to the tune. It was well that all this took place before the arrival of the Due d'Angouleme, whose situation, if he had been present, would have been difficult. I afterwards stated to the manager that, inasmuch as the ebullition of the moment would soon pass away, .^'^ Ml 42 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. he would gratify me by a little less panegyric, and that though I hoped that ' God save the King,' and ' Vive Henri IV,' might long con- tinue to harmonize, I doubted the policy of bringing in * Rule Britannia ' at the conclusion of the song. I liked the feast, but feared a surfeit. ' God save the King ' had the honour of being exhibited on a subsequent occasion (May 10), at the Comedie, in the following dress : ' Dieu, conserve a jamais Le bon roi des Anglais A ses sujets. Touches de ses bienfaits Amis, d'un coeur Fran9ais, Ghantez tous avec moi Vive le Roy.'" On the 18th, Admiral Penrose mounted the white cockade, and went to the levee to introduce his captains to the Prince. " The compliment was well and gratefully taken ; and the next day the French wore small black cockades under their white ones." This good understanding, however, became clouded not long afterwards by the jealousy of many of those French officers who had served under Napoleon, and who notoriously sought occasions of quarrelling with the English. These outbreaks might have been as common at Bourdeaux as elsewhere, but for the prudence of ; ! ! BOURDEAUX, 1814. 43 the first officer who was insulted. This was a young man, who was reading in a coffee-room, when one of the Emperor's old followers sat down at the table opposite to him. The English officer had placed on the table his military hat, or cap, in which was a white cockade. This cockade greatly offended the Frenchman's eye ; and with much insolence and contempt of manner, he turned the hat round, and inquired, rudely, " What business an English officer had with that emblem ? " The Englishman, with cool deliberation and without making a reply, put on his hat, and walked out of the room, and immediately stated his case to his colonel, and begged him to say whether it was a case for public or for pri\ ate notice. The Frenchman was made to acknowledge himself in fault, and no repetition took place of this sort of insult." Napoleon's soldiers appeared to be, with few exceptions, far better gentlemen than his officers. On the 22nd, an official notification was issued that the port and river were free from naval blockade ; and at the theatre in the evening, in true French taste, the first singer came up close to the Admiral, who was in the side box, and sang a stave in honour of his humanity, and all the audience roared for joy. On a subsequent day Admiral Penrose attended at a drawing-room held by the Due d'Angouleme, for the purpose of 'i ■M 44 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. f receiving those ladies resident at Bourdeaux, who had had the ancient honour of being presented at the Court of Louis XVI. " When I took leave after coffee, I was invited to adjourn with the Prince, to the assembled circle, or rather square, for on entering a large room, we found arranged these relics of antiquity in most venerable and special order all around it. These worthy dames had been living in extreme poverty and close retirement, and they appeared not only in the fashion of the olden time, but in the very same habiliments which Louis and Antoinette might have seen at Versailles. But few of them had a jewel left, and their faded silks and gray locks were a melancholy sight. The poor Duke had to kiss the cheek, and receive the compliments of each of these good ladies in turn ; and, as no one could have acted his part better, no one could have been happier when the scene was closed. I was informed that some of these ladies had scarcely been in the open air through the whole period of the revolution." But in truth there seemed to be no end to what may be called the odd circumstances, and contrasts, and coincidences which Bourdeaux pre- sented at this time to an observant eye. It was among the duties of the naval commander to forward to England the many prisoners of war who had long been detained in France, and who BOURDEAUX, 1814. 45 now flocked in great numbers to this port as af- fording them tlie readiest means of obtaining a pas- sage home. Among the other detenus, many mid- shipmen, who had been captured when mere lads, were now returning with French wives, and with children born during their captivity. On the 11th of May, the Admiral gave a superb French breakfast on board the Podargus, to the Due d'Angouleme and his suite. Over the deck the standards of England and France formed the ceiling, and the flags of the Allied Powers the sides of the saloon. Nothing could go off" better. Loud were the cheers from the floating multitude, and the?' vere still more loudly answered by greater multita ^ ^ '.) the shores. The landing-place was kept oy a detachment of the Black Bruns- wickers, who were serving with the army, and whose dark uniforms and fierce whiskers, with the death's head and crossed bones on their caps, formed a marked contrast to the crowds of Bor- delaises in white dresses, who were waving their white handkerchiefs in honour of the Prince. No less singular a spectacle was presented the next day, at a dinner given to a large party at the palace, at which the whole party, the Prince, and the Viscount de Damas excepted, were in British uniform or regimentals. Two of the party were French, but in British service. " Afterwards," says the Admiral, "on the 4th of June, when 46 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. dining with Sir Charles Colville in the village of Briaritz, near Bayonne, I found myself seated be- tween two French generals in the full costume of Napoleon's legions, and this in a booth built by Portuguese soldiers, at a dinner given to celebrate the birth-day of George III." Enough of these anecdotes, however. The beauty and tranquillity of the agricultural scenes, in the neighbourhood of the city, formed a grate- ful and refreshing alternation with his professional labours, especially to a man whose favourite en- joyments were almost all of them rural, and who viewed everything with most intelligent ob- servation. Whenever he could, he drove, after his morning work was over, into the country, ac- companied by some of his officers, and often dined at some neat village auberge, making the coach- man the planner of the route, iiccording to the distance to which the time allowed him to go. He expatiates largely, in his journal, on the grati- fication which these excursions aiforded him ; on the fertility and the cultivation with which he was surrounded ; on the extreme neatness of the cot- tages; on the cheerful welcome with which he was always received; and on the apparent pros- perity enjoyed by the peasantry*. * As an agriculturist be was much impressed hy the ap- parent advantage derived from the practice of housing the LA BREDE, 1814. 47 A visit, in one of these country excursions, to La Brede, formerly the residence of Montesquieu, is worth extracting at length. "We found the old baronial castle exactly," he says, "in the same state in which it had stood for centuries. Though time had caused the walls to be moss- grown, and mellowed the whole appearance of the fabric, yet its hand had otherwise dealt lightly, and no symptoms of decay abated the character of strength and solidity. The moat was deep and full of water, the drawbridge and portcullis could have been easily put into good condition, and the external defence outside the moat, and which must have been carried before the bridge could be approached, was in good repair. Here was the residence of an old feudal chief displayed to the modern observer, distinct in all its parts, and as defensible against the warfare of the olden time, as it ever could have been. working cattle ; and also, like every traveller in France, by the remarkable kindness with which the animal races seem to be, in that country, universally treated. " In many of my drives," he says, " I saw carts drawn by oxen coming in from the sandy Landes, the fine animals covered over with light cloths from head to tail, and reaching to the ground ; and on these level roads the plan of drawing from a board hung to the horns across the forehead seemed to answer perfectly, and required less gear than any other method I ever saw." '■f-'"' 48 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSK. "But how did it escape the ravages of the modern Goths during the reign of terror? the moat and drawbridge couhl not have protected it. But the name of Montesquieu did, and most effectually. The family arms in full emblazon- ment surmounted the entrance, and the first things I observed in the hall were the ancient oak chairs, and the family crest '•emaining on each. In short, in such respect was the memory held of the au- thor of the ' Esprit de Loix,' that, during the whole reign of revolutionary fury and madness, the house he lived and wrote in was perfectly safe from intrusion — a circumstance the more remarkable, inasmuch as the present proprietor had been an emigrant, and was, I believe, in London at the time of my visit to his castle. " All within was ancient, and if I might guess from appearances, the old steward and his wife the most ancient of any. The bed, however, in which the philosopher slept was preserved, and therefore, in fact, older than the steward. Throughout the house I do not remember to have seen a single piece of modern furniture. " In the room in which, as we were informed, Montesquieu studied and wrote, we were shown a mark in the stone which formed one side of the open fireplace; and this, the attendant assured us, was made by the right foot of the philosopher, LA BREDE, 1814. 49 • to who always sat near the fire in the same position, his left foot on the floor, the right pressed against the before-mentioned stone. We were shown every relic of drapery which this great man had worn, and all his ordinary haunts, both within doors and without; and abundant particulars of his life and manners were detailed to us, which an anecdote hunter might have worked out into a volume," At the auberge at which Admiral Penrose and his party dined on the day of their visit to La Brede, a very fine old man with the strongest marks of age on his countenance, but who had his mental faculties perfect, came to pay his re- spects to him. This old man had been in the battle of Quebec in the year 1769, and was one of the group who attended Montcalm after his wounds, and was then a corporal or Serjeant, and an old soldier. In 1814 he must have been at least a hundred years old. To this specimen of Admiral Penrose's visits in the neighbourhood of Bourdeaux, it is to be added that he was scarcely less attracted by the many recollections of older times, and of the English rule, which were supplied by the city itself. The name of the Black Prince in par- ticular was certainly remembered by the inha- bitants with something of pride, and sometimes 1 1 I 50 LIFE OP ADMIRAL PENROSE. apparently with a little fear intermingled. When the troops under the command of Marshal Beres- ford were approaching the city, an English mer- chant who lived near Bourdeaux was reminded by his neighbours, " that the English were long mas- ters of this country, that they were always famous for clemency and moderation, and only came to claim their own." /"hen eres- mer- sd by mas- mous le to CHAPTER IV. FROM LEAVING BOURDEAUX, MAY \0, 1814, TO HIS ARRIVAL AT NAPLES, MAY 23, 1816. On May 16th the Admiral received orders to return to Passages, in order to embark the re- maining troops and stores, and forward them to England. On the 19th he left Bourdeaux, and on the 22nd the Gironde, in the Porcupbie, and arrived at Pcassagcs on the 24th, after a jieriod of service, as much enlivened, probably, by both en- tertaining and gratifying accompaniments as j ny service, of the same duration, which it ever fell to the lot of any officer to fill. Neither yet was there ever any English officer whose whole de- portment was or could be more acceptable to the lively people, amongst whom he had been sojourning during this eventful period, and with whom, and their merchants more particularly, his line of duty, and his control of the navigation of their great river, threw him in many instances into very intimate communication. His great E 2 52 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. versatility, and the total absence in his eharncter of the natural phlegm of his countrymen, were advantages which the French, of all people in the world, were both the Lest able and the most dis- posed to appreciate. He gave free audience to every one; he mixed freely with all classes, and was always desirous to see all that could be seen, and to converse with all who wished to converse with him. On the 4th of June Admiral Penrose paid a visit to Sir Charles Colville at Briaritz, a village a few miles south of the bar of the Adour, and on the following day went to the bar, and crossed the bridge and proceeded to Bayonne. He was here received by Baron Thevenot, an old soldier who had served with La Fayette in America, in the war of 1776, and who had been governor of this town during the late siege. "He asked me," says the Admiral, "what was thought of the sortie which had been made from Bayonne after the news of the restoration had been re- ceived. The fact, he assured me, was this. A sortie on an extensive scale had been previously planned, and the orders to the general who was to command were, to carry it into execution either on a certain night which was named, or on the first night after on which the weather might be favourable to the attempt. It is to be recol- ii;!;: BRIARITZ, 1811. 68 lected, that our advanced posts were close and very annoying to tl\e inhabitants ; and that, in a military point of view, the motives to dislodge us were extremely urgent. On the night proposed the weather did not admit of the sortie taking place. Thevenot, though he did hear subse- quently, through the medium of his besiegers, of the fact of the restoration, yet did not think himself at liberty to withdraw, on that authority, the order which he had given. If a ruse de guerre had been practised, or if Napoleon had regained his ascendancy, he would have been ruined as a military man, by making a mistake. After the information which he had received, I doubt whether he would have given a fresh order ; but on that subject he would not speak. Soult, also, I apprehend, acted on the same principle in the unfortunate affair at Toulouse: namely, on that of declining to refrain from hostilities on the authority of information from the enemy only. " The Baron told Sir Charles Colville that it had been his intention, in case the siege had lasted so long as to threaten a want of provisions to the inhabitants, to leave a sufficient garrison in the citadel, and march with the remainder of his troops to join Marshal Soult. Colville smiled, and asked him how he could have managed to break through the line of the besiegers. Thevenot coolly replied, ' T knew where the Spaniards 54 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. were posted, unci / should have just walked over them:"* From this time to the 29tli of August, which was the day on which Admiral Penrose finally left Passages on his return home, his chief busi- ness lay, of course, in superintending the embark- ation of the troops and stores. The ditHcuIties were great. The inadequate sujjply of transjwrts precluded the aifording, even to the sick and wounded, the accommodation of which they were in need; and the known hatred of the Spanish population to the British troops burst forth more and more as their strength diminished. It was, therefore, highly probable that some outrage would be attempted in the rear of the embarka- tion. A plan was laid to seize on the military chest, which was removed on board the Li/ra for security; and a volley of stones was thrown at the last boat which left the shore. During Admiral Penrose's whole stay on the coast, he never received a visit, or the smallest mark of at- tention, from a single Spaniard. On the feast of * •' 'Aa soon as I found myself,' he said, ' closely invested, I killed all the mules and baggage horses, and oxen, and salted them down while they were iu good order, and thus I not only secured a supply of good meat at the end, but saved all the fodder.* I inquired what use he now made of the salted horseflesh and mules. ' It is issued,' ho answered, ' to the Spanish and Portuguese troops in their route homewards, as rations of beef; and very good it is.'" PASSAOES, 1814. 66 St. Ferdinand, the only time at which a Spanish salute was fired, he, of course, joined in the ceremony ; but on the Prince Regent's birth- day, although the English ships were dressed, and the royal standard displayed, the forts did not show their colours ; and on his leaving Passages on the 29th, not a single individual of the town was seen even to look out at a window, for the purpose of witnessing the sailinjv of the fleet. The Porcupine anchored in Plymouth Sound, September 6, and the Admiral struck his flag on the 12th, with but little expectation, now that peace, after so long an interval, seemed to have revisited Europe, of being again employed. On the 16th, however, he received a letter from Lord Melville, offering him the command in the Mediterranean, now become vacant by the recall of Admiral Hallowell. This offer, on finding that hi8 wife and daughters would lot be averse to accompany him, he accepted with readiness, conditioning that he was to be commander-in- chief. He received his appointment on the 23rd of the same month, and, on October 3, hou;;eil his flag at Plymouth, on board the Queen 74, to which Captain Coode, and other officers for whom he had applied, were already appointed. The still unsettled position of Europo rendered it impossible to give him any very definite in- 50 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. structions, and he was directed to act as circum- stances might require. But it was evident, that the conduct to be pursued towards Napoleon was the critical and anxious point for attention. Some intrigue with Murat, however, in Northern Italy was all which any one seemed at this time to anticipate. The triumphant march to Paris was a vision which no optics, unless those perhaps of the chief actor himself in that most extraordinary drama, could as yet contemplate. The Admiral left Plymouth October 8. The sail across the Bay of Biscay was most propitious. He passed Gibraltar, where the yellow fever was at that time raging, on the night of the 18th. His next object had been Genoa, where he expected to find Admiral HaHowell. After a tedious voyage along the coast of Spain, and by Majorca and Minorca, the information met him off Calvi, that the Admiral was gone to Palermo. He then took his course through the Straits of Bourfacio, and anchored in Palermo Bay, Novem- ber 11. A few days afterwards, he landed with his family, and remained on shore several weeks. Ferdinand of Naples was at this time at Palermo, and the death of his Queen Caroline, then on her road to Vienna, took place during Admiral Pen- rose's residence in this city ; a loss soon repaired by the King'ssubsequentmarriage, or half-marriagc>, u\ PALERMO, 1814. 67 to the Princess Paterna. During this period Murat sent over on one occasion a frigate, and on other occasions some smaller vessels, under the pretence of bringing letters from the Princess of Wales, who was at that time at his court. His real object was, to make Ferdinand and his Sicilian subjects believe that he and the English admiral were on kindly terms, and that some secret cor- respondence between them was carrying on. But this policy was much too shallow to suc- ceed. The journal now proceeds as follows : " During the time we lay at Palrrmo, a severe attack of fever passed through most of the ship's company, and, considering change of air the most likely cure, I left the bay in the latter part of February, and glided along a glassy sea close to the northern coast of the island. Our entrance into the Straits of Messina was marked by one of those sudden squalls and heavy showers, which are formed under the high Calabrian coast, and which, in the early days of navigation, must have rendered Scylla really a formidable rock to pass by. After this squall the weather cleared, and we had a most beautiful evening sail between the mag- nificent shores on either side, till we arrived in the middle of the harbour formed by that most singular curve of sand and shells, which of old pro- 58 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. cured for it the name of Zancle *. This apparently loose texture has remained unchanged through all the ages of history, both in form and substance ; whilst the mountainous regions on either side the straits, and the fine city which borders one side of the harbour, have been rent or destroyed, and undergone a vast variety of change. It is evident that the whirlpool of Charybdis is occa- sioned by the projection of the nearly semicircular bank which forms the port. Although this whirlpool is so far from Scylla that they form separate and entirely distinct dangers, each must have been a real danger in the early days of navi- gation, when it was so requisite to keep close to the land. Then the indraught of the bay, to the north of Scylla, would render it difficult to clear the rocks of the point ; and in sweeping near the mouth of the harbour of Messina, the whirl of Charybdis would be difiicult to escape. It once in a light wind got hold of the Queen, and before we could steer out of the vortex, the length of the ship did not prevent her turning completely round more than once. It formed a curiously- helpless situation to be in such a liquid swing, so much at its mercy ; and if it had been quite a calm, we uiight have remained some time the sport of the pool. * A scvthe. MESSINA, 1815. 69 " When we arri>v(i at Messina, there were forty-five cases of fever on our sick list, but be- fore a fortnight had elapsed, the fever had en- tirely left us. I attribute the recovery to the fine air which the draught of the straits almost continually occasions ; and in case of fever I would sooner go to Messina for renovation of health, than to any other port in the Mediter- ranean. " It was, I think, on the 12th of March that we here heard of the escape of Napoleon from Elba, and of his having been seen steering for the Bay of li'rejus. When I heard of this escape, I feared, at first, t'lat some neglect of Captain Adye, in the Partridge sloop, might have facili- tated it, but, I think, he wholly exculpated him- self. 1 had never altered the orders given by my predecessor Hallowell. Napoleon well knew how to make use of any incident. The captains and officers of the French cruisers were, almost to a man, in his interest, and I have not the least doubt but that the captain of the Fleur de Lys purposely misled Captain Adye, in order to give the fugitive more time to effect his designs. The moment I heard of his departure from Elba, I sent secret instructions to all the captains, that in case he should be driven off the coast in any place where he might attempt to land, and fallen in with, he should bo taken to Malta, to wait the 60 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. orders of our government from home. But his fortune was his friend. A vein of wind accom- panied him from Gorgona to the coast ; leaving a dead calm in every other direction. Otherwise, the Partridge and Fleur de Lys would, at least, have made the laud with him : and the Aboukir have had a great chance of cutting him off." Many messages now arrived from Murat, so full of assurances that nothing could possibly in- duce him to take part against England, as to excite the strong suspicion that he was on the point of declaring for his former master. The Admiral, therefore, instead of going on, as he had intended, to Malta, judged it necessary to return to Palermo, for the purpose of conferring with Mr. A'court, in whom he always found a steady and clear-headed adviser, and with the Count de Narbonne, the French minister. On the 23rd, he anchored again in Palermo Bay. " News was constantly arriving, but from very uncertain sources ; though we learned with certainty that Napoleon had landed at Frejus, and made some advance from the coast. When I asked the Count de Narbonne what he thought would be the result, he assured me that he had not the least fear on the subject, and that he did not think it possible that the Emperor could move five miles into the interior. Captain Duranteau and his oflUccrs dined with me while we were PALERMO, ISl;"}. Gl here, more than once ; and appeared to be so deeply imbued with loyalty to the Bourbons, as to excite our wonder how he could ever have condescended to serve under Napoleon. He could not now keep his seat, or even consent to stand on the floor, to drink the health of Louis XVIII., but mounted either on his chair or the table, to vociferate all manner of good wishes to his cause." The opinion of all the foreign ministers agreed with Mr. A'court's, that the Bourbons were too well established to fear the irruption from Elba. But fear rather than hope was, on the whole, the impression made on Admiral Penrose ; and he accordingly thought it prudent to proceed to Malta without delay, that he might deposit his family there, and put his ship, which had been damaged by lightning while at Messina, into proper repair. He left Palermo, April 3, and on the 10th, arrived at Malta, where he was most kindly received by Sir Thomas Maitland. He settled his wife and daughters in the beautiful little country palazzo of Florian, a spot well known for its gardens and terraces to every visitor of this remarkable island, and very convenient for communication with the ships in port. On tlie 21st he sailed again for Palermo, where he arrived on the 23rd. On the 24th, he received intelli gence that Murat had broken the armistice, and 02 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. consequently issued orders for seizing and detain- ing all Neapolitan and other vessels engaged in, or adhering to, the cause of Napoleon. The Austrians were at this time advancing on Naples; and Ferdinand himself had been contem- plating a rising in Calabria, which it was thought would be furthered by taking him there. It was therefore determined to receive him and his court on board the Queen, and also to provide the means of transporting as many troops as General Macfarlane, the commanding officer in Sicily, could collect. While the arrangements were making for this embarkation, time was given to procure fresh information from the continent. For the purpose of gaining this more readily and satisfactorily, the Admiral again sailed from Palermo on the 25th ; and on the 2nd of the following month arrived off Leghorn, after chasing on hip passage a French frigate, the Nei'eide, under the Napoleon flag, and commanded by the same Captain Duranteau, who had made himself so remarkable, only a few weeks before, by his demonstrations in behalf of Louis XVIII. Another French frigate, the Melpomene, had sailed from Toulon in company with the Nereide, but had separated from her, and had been taken on the preceding day by the Rivoli, when entering the Bay of Naples. So unsettled as yet was the feeling as to the part which England would take in these events, that Lord Exmouth, LEO HORN, 181'). G3 who had now been sent out to take the command on this station, wrote a letter of congratulation to Admiral Penrose on the escape of the Nereide^ and expressed a satisfaction that he had not taken French vessels under any colours*. From Leghorn, Admiral Penrose proceeded to Genoa, where he had a conference with Lord William Bentinck on the state of affairs. It had become evident that the sooner the Anglo-Sicilian army was put in motion the better. The Admiral therefore left Genoa, almost without stopping there, called again on the 5th of May off Leghorn, whence he forwarded plans of the intended opera- tions to the Austrian generals, and then went on with all despatch to Palermo, where he arrived on the 10th. The preparations for the embarkation were tolerably forward. Between the 10th and 16th, the transports were despatched to rendezvous at Melazzo ; it not being yet determined whether a landing should be attempted in Calabria, or * On the next clay after the escape of the Nereide, the Queen chased and captured a market boat, under the flag of the Emperor of Elba. " This," says the Admiral, " was the only flag I ever saw of the kind. With the arms in the centre, the white field was studded with bees, in the same manner as the drapery round the throne, these insects being substituted for the old fleur de lys. Of course I suffered the poor Elban to proceed on his voyage to the Leghorn market, but I was sorry that I had not purchased his little flag from him as a curiosity." 64 LIFE OF ADMIRAL FRNR08E. whether the king could be roused to push for Naples itself. On the 16th, he was embarked with about fifty persons in his suite. On the 18th, information was received that Murat had made his escape from Naples, and that the ships of war and arsenals had been surrendered. On the 19th, Ferdinand landed early at Melazzo, whence he proceeded to Messina, and the Queen then sailed for Naples without delay. The other ships of war and transports had been sent off the evening before. During the short voyage from Sicily to Naples, the ship was becalmed nearly three days under Stromboli, and consequently did not reach Naples till the 23rd. Lord Ex- mouth had arrived the day before ; and Fort St. Elmo had been taken possession of by Captain Coghlan. On the 24th, the two English Admirals landed to pay their respects to Prince Leopold, who had entered with the Austrian troops, and was now at the palace. " The whole mass," it is here observed, " of Neapolitan population, through which we had to pass in our way from the mole, appeared to be lost in wonder and amaze at the changes so suddenly effected, and the warlike array which surrounded them, but did not show the slightest token either of favour or dislike to us as we passed. They were in a state of sur- prise." CHAPTER V. FROM HIS RETURN TO MESSINA, IN MAT, 1816, TO HIS LEAVING TUNIS, APRIL 23, 1810. After this visit to the palace, Admiral Penrose again set sail as soon as possible, and hastened to Melazzo, where he arrived on the 26th, and im- mediately sent off an express to Ferdinand, at Messina, in which he urged him to return to the ship as soon as he could. But the King, although he afterwards complimented the Admiral by calling him the Moses who was leading him to the promised land, could not be prevailed on to follow his guidance exactly, and preferred to embark at Messina, where he was not got on board till the 31st. On June 3, the Queen anchored about midnight in the Bay of Baia, and, on the following day, commenced a series of congratulatory visits to the restored monarch. " It was computed," says the Admiral, " that, on the 5th, not less than 8000 persons visited the ship, many of them not the less ardent in their expressions of loyalty because in their hearts they were earnestly desirous of F 66 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. H'! L. I ii Murat's speedy return. The presents brought on board were also in profusion. Pyramids, temples, and other devices, composed of the richest fruits and flowers, and of large size, were brought from the various towns and villages, many of them containilig live hares, quails, doves, or other animals, which were put into positions meant to exhibit them as quite at their ease. Small birds in cages were also grouped among the fruits. Memorials, prayers, and petitions, arrived also in equal number and variety. Calves also (the veal of Naples being remarkably fine) were presented in great number, and these decked out with festoons of flowers and ribbons. Large baskets of game of all sorts, venison, wild boar, fowls, fruits, and vegetable? in abundance and perfection, covered our decks. These presents to the King proved, if I may play upon a word, a rich feast to the Queen, and our crew was accordingly nobly regaled; while, to enliven the scene, bands of excellent music, and parties of well-dressed people, in richly-decorated boats, moved slowly round the ship from morning till night. " On May 7, the King was landed at Portici. The barge in which he was conveyed, and which bore the royal standard, was surrounded on its passage to the shore by boats of every description, and by swimmers and divers who scarcely left room for the oars to play ; and the applauses with k NAPLES. 1815. 67 th which the King was received on landing were loud and reiterated. But why were these people," the Admiral proceeds, " so delighted at his return ? To this it may be answered that, independently of the easy, the too easy, freedom with which he mixed with the lower orders of his subjects, and which greatly endeared him to them, the contrast with Murat was all in his favour. Murat's war- like and architectural tastes, and hi-e- 1/ I I 1^ I 78 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. aside, and bred up a pastrycook, in which profession he is said to excel. " The day following was my rich treat, as it gave me an idea of the interior country. The eldest son of the Bey had just built a new house, several miles out of the town ; and we set out on an ex- pedition to see it, some of us in an old can-iage, though of what description I cannot say, and others on horaeback. We travelled on a wide, well-beaten road, the general approach to the city from the south. As is usual near populous places, there was garden ground and cultivation in the im- mediate environs ; but the first thing which par- ticularly caught my attention was the summer encampment of the Bey's stable establishment, just formed. This was on a grassy plain of great extent, still verdant, in consequence of the cool season, but which must, I suppose, be parched up in summer and autumn. Here were many tents, of various forms and dimensions, for the officers, grooms, and guards, and another supported by poles fixed in rows, and probably twelve feet in height, for the horses, which were piqueted under it. " I do not recollect the number of miles which we travelled on this road. We met natives of various dependent tribes, in the true Arabian cos- tume, journeying towards the city with the pro- duce of the interior, and passed two most con- TUNIS, 1810. 7D venient watering-places, each calculated to sup- ply the wants of a large caravan in a short time. A house was attached to each, and the supply was under regulation, and I suppose some payment required. Beautiful marble troughs, which must have been of greater antiquity than the Saracen or Turkish sway, were kept full of water by a simple hydraulic machine ; and the appearance of the whole carried my imagination back to Carthage. Very little, however, of really Carthaginian relics remains. Some parts of cisterns are the most conspicuous, and along the hills portions of an aqueduct, which conveyed water from a distance of upwards of seventy miles to that proud city. There are many Roman remains of great interest, but these cannot be examined under the present government. No recommendation from the Bey would prove a protection, but rather the contrary. He is only able to collect his own revenue by means of an army, which he sends annually to force an unwilling payment, not of fixed taxes but of arbitrary demands, from the tributary states. " The palace of the prince was well worth seeing as a complete specimen of Saracenic ai'chitecture, with all its points and minute decorations, all of which were finished with perfect neatness. There were no large rooms, but many courts with hand- some fountains, alcoves fitted for luxurious repose, m I 80 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. I; : -i: .,^' and admirably-kept flower gardens, each in sepa- rate charge of a Roman or Tuscan slave. The stronger-scented jessamines and other sweet- smelling flowers seemed to have been selected to adorn these retreats. This palace was not yet inhabited, except by Christian slaves, who were busily engaged in preparing it for their master's reception, and we therefore saw every part of it. The great object seemed to be to multiply shady places of repose, with cooling waters and rich parterres. There was a noble orange grove, in which, as at St. Antonio, in Malta, stone troughs were laid so as to convey water at the will of the gardener to each tree separately; and everything wit. in most exact order. The slaves wero well dressed, apparently well fed, and not one with whom we conversed seemed to have any strong desire to returti to Italy; although there were some who expressed a wish to do so for a \f\u\e, and then to return to servo their former master as fi-ee labourers. " After our teturn to Tunis, Lord Exmouth and I, hearing that the Neapolitan and Sardinian slaves, who had been ransomed according to the terms of the treaty, were colUoted ready for embarkation, went to see them. They had been collected at so short a notice thiit there could not have been time to make any change in their appearance. Out of several hundreds, there was TUNIS, 1816. 81 not one who looked squalid, or poor, or ragged, and by far the greater number were well dressed, and wore rings on tlieir fingers, and in their ears, and had watches. To the shaine of ChristpiiJom be it spoken, slavery never wore this garb under a Christian yoke. In my early days, there were Moorish and Turkish slaves at Lisbon, Cadiz, &c., all universally ill treated, badly fed, clothed, and lodged. Even at Algiers, where Christin slaves are said to have been worse treated than > w here, I believe that they were infinitely better used than the Moorish slaves in Spain, or Portugal, or Naples, or Tuscany. But, then, I have also the satisfaction, on the other hand, of believing that the Christian slaves in Barbary were the better treated because their Mussulman masters found that they could repose more confidence in them than in the followers of their own false religion. On Christians, therefore, devolved all the domestic arrangements; and the wealthy had Christian slaves for their treasurers; and the departure of those who were now liberated was deeply lamented. Neither yet did the slaves themselves depart without testifying, in many instances, their own gratitude for the kind treatment which they had received. I know, moreover, that many of them, and also of the Roman slaves who were liberated afterwards, returned, as freemen, to end their days in the service of their old masters. Of course I G f ii It In , f Hi IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 {■/ 86 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. "I had (I think naturally) concluded, that some dispatches had been sent for me, and lost ; for I could never allow myself to believe, that so heavy and irretrievable a mortification as I now acutely experience could be intended. " At the end of forty-five years' faithful service to my king and country, I could never have ex- pected, as I am conscious I have never merited, to have a junior ofiicer from a distant station sent to second Lord Exmouth, on a service to be per- formed on that station where I commanded in chief, and that service never intimated to me in the smallest degree. "I have the honour, &c. "To J. W. Crokbr, Esq." The answer to this letter from the Admiralty was dated September 27, and to this answer Admiral Penrose sent the following reply: "Sir, Albion, Malta, Nov. 6, 1816. "I request you to do me the honour to express to their Lordships my regret that the tone of my letter, of August 30, should have dis- pleased. " I will not trouble their Lordships on a sub- ject of personal feeling, even to point out the early dates of the arrival of private, yet particular. ^sitSM ALGIERS, 1816. 87 information respecting Lord Exmouth's arma- ment. These, however, would make it appear, that my expectation of being called on to assist Lord Exmouth in the bay in which I had so lately served with him was at least natural. f ** My letter, written close to the ship fitted ex- pressly to bear my flag, and between the victo- rious squadron and the ruins of Algiers, might naturally have gone into keenness of feeling, which their Lordships' candour would excuse; but I am the last person who would palliate, or defend, or hesitate to apologize for, any expression deviating from that respect which is as properly due in point of subordination as indisputably re- quisite for the public good. " I have the honour to remain, &c., &c. « To J. W. Crokeb, Esq." Not the least remarkable part of this history is, that Admiral Penrose was afterwards informed, on good authority, that this, his " apologetical de- fence and excuse, gave very great satisfaction to the Admiralty." — To these letters are subjoined, in Admiral Penrose's private journal, particular observations, both on the conduct of the action itself, and on the method of proceeding with the greatest advantage, in any future attack on Al- giers. He was never wanting during his whole life, and certainly never more ready than on this 88 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. occasion, and in this record which he has left of himself, to add his own suffrage to the universal acknowledgment of Lord Exmouth's high merit and ability; and he also speaks with particular animation of the judgment and promptitude dis- played by his nephew, Capt. Coode, who com- manded the Albion, and who was severely wounded in the action. This ship had been assigned, in the line of battle, a station in the rear of the Impreg- nable. The Impregnable, through some mistake, let go her anchor too soon. Considering how very well she was officered, it would have been but natural that the commander of the Albion should follow the example which had been so set, by dropping hie own anchor also, and so keeping the place assigned him in the line. But Capt. Coode, seeing the case to be what it was, passed on instantly ahead of the Impregnable, cheering as he passed, and took nearly the berth which that ship had been intended to fill. On the 31st August commenced the negotia- tion with the Dey. If this had failed, the whole contest would have had to begin again; and, if not with a doubtful, yet with a not less bloody, result than before. "Little did I expect," says Admiral Penrose, " to be employed in any part of a business with the main struggle of which I had unfortunately no participation; but Lord Ex- mouth, calling me to a private audience, with a ALGIERS, 1816. 89 considerable degree of embarrassment, asked me, as a mark of friendship towards him, if I would undertake to arrange the treaty, and the remain- ing business with the Dey. Neither private nor public considerations allowed me to hesitate, though no proposal could have come more un- expected; and within an hour or two I was standing before my old acquaintance the Dey. " I am not about to enter into the particulars of the several interviews I had with him, nor the tedious difficulties of conversing by an interpreter. Lord Exmouth's public letter, and Salame's book, have made the subject well known. All our con- versations were carried on with perfect temper and composure on both sides, and I may say of yielding on the side of the Dey, except when any documents were produced which he thought would in any way bind him not to make war on the Spaniards whenever he pleased. After it had been officially stated that all the Christian slaves were embarked, we learned that two Spaniards were stitl in prison; and although these men were real-y bound for the payment of money due to the Dey, it was thought that our work would be imperfect if even one Christian were left in Algiers in the Dey's power. But justice required that the sum of money should be paid for which they were bound, and this settlement did not come within Lord Exmouth's commission. He 90 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. had no doubt, however, that he should be able to get the amount settled with the government of Spain, and therefore offered his own personal security for the immediate payment of the sum in dispute ; and this I tendered to the Dey, telling him that at all events the men mtist be liberated. This was the most bitter pill of all to swallow, and he put it off to the last moment. At last, when the treaty was translated, and a fair copy ready for signature and delivery, I again de- manded the Spaniards, and again tendered Lord Exmouth's security for payment of the sum he said was due to him. He would not even touch the proffered bond, and at last, with evident grief of heart, he said he would order the men to be taken down to our boat. I told his High- ness that it was absolutely requisite that they should be in my power before I signed or ac- cepted any document. They were then sent for from the prison, which, as they were brought in two or three minutes, must have been in the palace. When I had given them in charge of an officer at the foot of the stairs, I concluded the business; and glad I was when it was con- cluded. I really thought, at one time, that the Dey would rather have risked a rupture than have yielded the point respecting these Spaniards, who were in fact hostages, not slaves ; and Lord Exmouth might have been fully justified if he ALGIERS, 181(j. 01 had not taken any notice of the matter. So sus- picious was I of the Dey's intentions towards these men, that I kept them close to me, as I went first to our Consul's house, and afterwards to the boat. The savage thought, that if he had accepted Lord Exmouth's offer, we might inter- fere afterwards, if he should declare war against Spain ; which, as we had tied his hands up from acting against so many other powers, it wa^. evi- dent that he very much longed to do. " On one occasion I was for some time with the Dey, our interpreter only being with us, the Consul and all the rest having gone to investigate a disputed account. I took the opportunity of advising him to change the system of predatory warfare into one of commerce, and I pointed out to him the wealth acquired by improving agri- culture and encouraging trade, and instanced the Pacha of Egypt. I reminded him that the terri- tory of Algiers was in the highest degree fertile, and produced many valuable articles of trade ; that he had a fine port admirably situated, and that these advantages might soon render him infinitely richer than plunder and piracy ever could ; and that thus, instead of being considered as a common enemy, he might become the respectable friend, of all Christian powers, and to his own great benefit in every respect. I par- ticularly urged on him that such a change of 92 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. system would ensure him the friendly aid of Britain, and that great part of the treasure which now went into the coffers of the Pacha of Egypt would be so brought to flow into his own. This un])remoditated address of mine was listened to by this singular chief with evident surprise and attention; and, as far as I could judge by the slower or quicker aspirations of his long pipe, and once by a sort of sigh, with something of a hope that such a state of things might possibly bo. After a short pause, he calmly replied that he thanked me for my advice, and would consider the matter seriously, but that he had many diffi- culties to encounter; he had been but a short time on the musnud, and now our attack had almost driven him from it. "This Dey was a man who, not long before, when general under his predecessor, had caused the rebellious governor of Oran to be flayed alive in his presence, and while he was drinking his morn- ing coffee — of which refreshing beverage he or- dered a portion to be given to his wretched victim, in order to recruit him for the more lengthened agony. His own reign, however, was not destined to be of long duration. At some period in 1817, he became plunged in a dispute with his janissaries, who insisted on permission to plunder the Jews, on pretence that they had not exerted themselves during Lord Exmouth's attac'^ Oa the Dey's ALGIERS, 1816. or resisting this demand, the janissaries surrounded , the palace, and at last obliged him to descend amongst them to be strangled. lie begged hard to bo allowed to return to his station as janissary ; but it seems that a man who has once been honoured by the title of Dey cannot be allowed to degrade. " One day," the journal proceeds, " as I was examining the Consul's house, for the purpose of noticing the damage which it had sustained in the siege, T found a carpenter busy in repairing a partition, and soon saw that he wished to enter into conversation with me. He told me that he was a German renegade, heartily wishing that he had been still a slave, and so have partaken of the effected redemption. He made many earnest and sensible inquiries about his own country and the state of Europe, earnestly longing to return home, but without any hope of being able to get away from Algiers. In return I inquired where he was during the late engagement. He in- formed me that when the fleet was approaching, the janissaries drove all the male inhabitants indiscriminately to the batteries, but that most of the women and children went for safety out of the city ; not so far, however, but that some of those wild fires, Congreve's rockets, which were intended for the shipping in the Mole, passed over them. My German informer was stationed, 94 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. rf with seventeen others, at one of the very long guns on the Mole Battery, Nine out of the seventeen were swept away at once, by the first discharge. By his account the carnage must have been very great ; but this was concealed with the greatest care, and all traces of it removed by the middle of the next day when Brisbane landed. Great pains, also, were taken to clear away the rubbish, and make everything appear as if the damage was not great ; and, indeed, ex- cept in the destruction of the shipping, it was not material. In the lower stories, the houses had suffered little, and the upper stories were so slight that the shot had passed through with little more effect than the round holes they had made, nor could I perceive that our bombs had done much execution. Very many of these had not burst, and were collected in piles near the palace gate ; but to show that our ships were close to their work, I found the centre-spill of a grape-shot in one of the Consul's rooms, which was in the centre of the city. " When I landed, there was much more order than I could have expected. Everything seemed in its place, as if nothing had happened but to the shipping, of which the still smoking remains of some, and the floating wrecks of others, plainly showed the devastation which had been made. Early in the action, two or three small vessels ALGIERS, 1816. 05 had been sunk to preserve them ; and, very much to the credit of those concerned, one fine schooner had been weighed up, and was nearly equipped for sea, in order to proceed to Constan- tinople, when I entered the Mole. Two or three gun-boats had also escaped, and I observed the guns -and their implements all ready for imme- diate use. . ^ '* Lord Exmouth once talked of a renewed assault, but I am glad there was no necessity for it. Supposing a favourable wind and weather, his ships would not have been again allowed to take their stations unmolested; and it is certain they would have been very seriously damaged in their approach to the batteries." Jl i w ii , ii -Hftj,, II . CHAPTER VII. FROM LEAVING ALGIERS, SEPT. 7, 1816, TO THE CONCLUSION OF HIS VISIT TO ALI PASHA, IN FEB., 1818. On the 7th of September, Admiral Penrose, in company with Lord Exmouth, who was now re- turning to England, left the Bay of Algiers for Gibraltar, where he shifted his flag to the Albion. He then returned to Malta, where he remained till April 17, 1817. On that day he sailed, taking his family with him, to the Ionian Islands, and on the 21st arrived at Corfu, where Sir Thomas Maitland had at this time established himself as Lord High Commissioner. Aftei* leaving Corfii he visited St. Maura and Ithaca. At Ithaca he lay in the harbour of Vathi, of which he says, that he never entered a port so thoroughly concealed from without, and that its appearance from the inside was so snug that it might be compared to a mill-pond, and some wonderment was raised "how we should get out." Was this the cave of Phorcys, in which THE IONIAN ISLANDS, 1817. 97 the sleeping Ulysses was set on shore by the Phoenicians ? " From Ithaca the Admiral went to Zante, where he visited the pitch-wells, and thence to Cefalonia, and returned to Malta, May 31. On the 8th of July he again sailed with his family for Palermo, where they were present during the feast of St. Rosalia, and from Palermo to Naples. At Naples he found, or was soon joined by, an American squadron under Commodore Chauncy *. With the exception of a duel with an American officeri which was provoked by the thoughtlessness of one of the lieutenants of the Albion^ a perfect harmony subsisted between the two squadrons — * " The Albion" it is here added, " was but a pigmy by the side of the gigantic Washington, yet I never felt that I should have had any doubt of a good result, if I had met her as an enemy. Her weight of metal was indeed vastly superior, as she mounted 32-pounders only, and of these she could fight, if I recollect right, 52 on a side. My reliance would have been on the superior activity of my own ship in manoeuveiing, in consequence of the great length of the Wash- ington; on our having a poop, which the other had not; and on the unwieldy size of the lower-deck guns, the carriages also being made very high, to counteract the nearness of the lower sills of the ports to the water, so that the guns could not be elevated sufficiently for effectual service on the lee side. If, therefore, I had met this great ship as an opponent, I should have endeavoured to close her to leeward, and on the lee bow if possible ; and I think that hearts of oak would have had a fair chance." '^>r..-j±i!mji-s^:!* III! f ? 98 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. the English and the American — during the period of their rencontre on this station. " Whenever an American boat," says the Admiral, " passed my barge with the flag flying, the same respect was paid as if one of our own boats had been in the same situation ; and the officers and men on shore were equally respectful. Not the smallest dispute between petty ofiicers and boats' crews ever took place, though often meeting on shore. We had such numerous engagements that I could not find a day on which I could give Commodore Chauncy and his captains ' a grand dinner,' as it would have been called in the newspapers ; but I invited them to a ' dejeuner a la fourchette,' and the party was pleasant. I asked my ladies how they liked the Americans, and the reply was, that they were too much like English captains. This was the greatest compliment they could have paid them. " On the night of the anniversary of the battle of the Nile (August 1), the Americans paid us a very pretty compliment. Our cabin windows were all open, and Italy never could boast of a more perfect serenity of air, or a more clear cerulean sky ; but the moon had not risen when our ears were pleasingly attracted by the music of an excellent band, in a boat, a short distance from the stern. Here the floating orchestra continued for an hour or more, gratifying us not only with the most popular airs of the musical world at the ^, NAPLES, 1817 99 time, but with our own loyal and patriotic tunes, ending with the ' Battle of the Nile.' We were much puzzled as to who might be the bestowers of this great treat, and at first felt inclined to give the credit to our Austrian friends, as we had been able to show some little attention to some of their chief officers, and I was well acquainted with General Nugent, who then held the chief- command. As for the performers themselves, we could procure no information. Soon after the first party retired, another good band took their station, and continued the harmony. We learned on the following day, that the first band was from Com- modore Chauncy's ship, and the second from that of Captain Shaw, who had been commodore before Chauncy's arrival." From Naples, Admiral Penrose proceeded to Leghorn, where he arrived about the middle of August. Leghorn was at this time very full of very august personages; amongst the rest Maria Louisa, whom he proceeded to visit. " She re- ceived me," he says, " with an open frankness which was very pleasing. She asked me if I thought Napoleon was likely to escape from St. Helena, and she declared herself, and appeared to be pleased, when I assured her that I considered him safe in his cage. She never wished to rejoin him. Her expression afterwards was, ' He never used me ill, he never used me well ; he valued, or H 2 ; I i 100 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. looked on me as his housekeeper and the mother of his son.' She seemed entirely Austrian. She spoke of her son with great affection, and became animated like a mother when she praised him. She told me that one of his great delights was the playing with a young lion, which had been brought from Tunis, by Captain Dundas, in the Tagus^ as a present for some other person, but which had come into young Napoleon's possession. It had been taken quite young, and had been reared by a goat. Whether the nurse had changed any of its natural propensities, I do not know. It was a royal jjlaything." The Admiral dined with the ex-Empress the next day, and had afterwards to exhibit the Albion, both to her and to a large party of royal per- sonages, by whom she was accompanied. This party consisted of Maria Louisa, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Princess Leopoldina, who had just been married by proxy to the Emperor of Brazil, Prince Metternich, and others. From Leghorn, Admiral Penrose returned to Malta, about Sep- tember 20; and the autumn and early winter passed pleasantly away, without any occurrence of moment. On January 24th, 1818, he hoisted his flag in the Ganymede^ Captain Spencer, and sailed again for Corfu, for the purpose of accompanying Sir Thomas Maitland on an intended visit to All THE IONIAN ISLANDS, 1818. 101 Pacha. He on this occasion left his family behind him, at Malta. The object of this visit to Ali was to secure the rights of .the inhabitants of the seven islands; and also to enter into some discussions respecting the affair of Parga, which was at this time exciting great and painful attention. During his stay in Corfu, the Admiral made several ex- cursions in that island, and to the opposite shores - of Epirus. " Thus passed," he adds, " our time away, till we were ready to start for Prevesa to meet Ali Pacha, where the General embarked with the ladies (Lady Ponsonby, Lady Lauderdale, and her daughters) in the Glasgow, and with the two ships we proceeded to the anchorage off Prevesa, at the entrance of the Gulf of Arta, celebrated for the defeat of Antony, and the flight of Cleopatra. It was intended that we should laud at Parga in our way, but calms or foul winds shortened our time, so that we had none to spare from the chief object of our voyage. A very strong and cold north-east wind blew directly from the land, and our anchorage was at a con- siderable distance from the shore. On the evening of our arrival, I dispatched the second-lieutenant to find at what time on the following day Ali would receive us, and to examine the landing- place. His report of the chief himself was wittily characteristic : ' Ho is exactly like a sugar hogs- head, dressed in scarlet and gold.' Whoever will •mrnr* ,,^x^ 102 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. ii I look at his picture will see good ground-work for this comparison. "A long and heavy pull we had the next day in the Glasgow's fine barge, against a very cold wind, but at last reached the land. The palace of the ferocious chief whom we were come to visit was built of wood, and on the water's edge, so that the boats landed at one of the doors, contrived no doubt to enable the owner to escape in that direction, if requisite. It was an immense building, badly finished, not painted, and badly furnished, but calculated to lodge about three thousand persons. The chief, with all his heads of departments, and his son and grandson, re- ceived us in a small room (small, that is, for such a purpose), one end of which was occupied by a comfortable and well-cushioned divan ; and some chairs were brought, out of compliment to our mode of sitting. Here we were soon served with coffee in beautiful china and gold cups and saucers, and magnificent pipes, the long cherry- wood stems or tubes of which were of great value if of a certain length. It is the etiquette on these diplomatic occasions with the followers of Mahomet, and I believe with some others also, who ought to know better, to do nothing like busi- ness on the first day of meeting, but pay compli- ments, and try to sound the character of those we are to try to outwit the next day. THE IONIAN ISLANDS, 1818. 103 " Sir Thomas introduced me as the naval com- mander-in-chief, and, when we had been exces- sively civil to each other, then Sir Frederick Adam, Captains Maitland and Spencer, and then those of lower degree on the navy and army lists. Among these was Capt. Frazer, a fine tall Highlander of six feet three or four inches, and well proportioned. Sir Thomas had brought him on purpose to show, and pointed him out to Ali, asking (as well as I can recollect) whether he could furnish such another grenadier from his own troops. I rather think there was something either in the matter or manner which piqued the barbarian, and he replied, very drily, and some- what sarcastically, 'The tallest are not always the bravest,' or words to that effect. " Before we returned to our ships, an excellent collation was provided on a long table, where we cut and came again, with much approbation of Turkish cookery ; but the climate was severe in this wild mansion ; and after trying many bottles of execrable light wines, great was my joy in finding a flask of excellent brandy. There was an immense fire in one apartment; but open doors and badly-fitted windows rendered it of no avail, unless within a roasting distance. The fireplace was built of stone, and projected, wisely, several feet into the room. On the hearth were piled immense logs of wood in unsparing profu- ' '"••'"■''""■•■WW^"'"!* 1 • V--7".V-. • ' ^ HIS CHARACTER. 181 themselves well, or till the ship came out of dock. We were thirteen weeks in harbour; I had not one complaint; after about three weeks, there was seldom a man wished tff go on shore. I left the port at last, with only two men absent without leave; and I should add, that during the time the ship was in dock, many were employed in the disagreeable service of fitting out other ships.. From a 74-gun ship and a frigate near me, under the same circumstances of long detention in har- bour, no leave was granted: boats rowed guard every night to prevent desertion, and the loss by desertion was very great. " More than one circumstance occurred in a short time, to show that my indulgence had not been thrown away The payment (of the three years' pay due) was scarcely over; and while the ship was crowded with women, children, and slopsellers, a telegraphic signal an- nounced an enemy's frigate off Portland; and never were supernumeraries more quickly dis- posed of, or a ship more quickly unmoored, and under sail. We were baulked of our expected prize, and returned to Spithead just before the mutiny. Here, by a little good management and minute attention, I kept my men from cheering with the others ; and although 1 had daily com- munication with the Royal George, three days after the yard ropes had been reeved, I punished K 2 Ill !ii "'111 . ! 132 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. two men who had left their duty in tlie dockyard. When I received orders for sea, not a moment's lapse of good order occurred ; but having informa- tion that letters had beeftl received, threatening a visit from the delegates, if my people did not join in cheering, &c., I called the ship's company together, and informed them that I was ordered to proceed to sea ; but that under the circumstances I was aware of, I should not do so till the night tide, when I expected they would show their sense of the confidence I had in their good conduct by weighing with the utmost silence and dispacch. The reply was by three hearty cheers (which I would then have gladly dispensed with), and careful obedience to my o'"lers during the night ; and I have reason to believe tint the good conduct of my ship's company aided the able management of the commander* of the western squadron I immediately joined, in the preserva- tion of good order at that critical period. I had the honour of letters of approbation from the Admiralty, both on account of our long stay in harbour without desertion, and preventing my ships' company from taking pr rt in the mutiny ; and after the ship's company tad also received their lordships' thanks, they sent nie a letter full of expressions of gratitude for my having, as they * Sir Edward Pollew. HIS CHARACTKit. 133 termed it, ' steered them clear of the troubles so many of their brethren had been involved in.'" Thus far from the tract. One passage here omitted speaks of the suspension, at this time, of cash payments as constituting an added difficulty in the case. The account of his treatment of this case in particular will be best transcribed from a memorandum among his private pai)ers, from which it is here subjoined. "In the memorable year 1797 I was at Bath, on my return from a visit to my family, when the news arrived that cash payments were stopped at the bank, and it was with great difficulty that I procured change for a ten-pound bill. I saw the danger of the moment, and set out without delay to join my ship, the Cleopatra, at Portsmouth. " On my arrival I found it fully requisite that I should be at my post. Orders had been given for the payment of nearly five years' wages due to the crew, and the first use of one or two pound bank notes for the payment of the navy was to be tried in our case. Already had the mischievous or the alarmists spread a report that the nation was become bankrupt, and that these new bank issues would soon be of no more worth than the paper money of the American or the assignats of the French revolution. Another and not less formid- able enemy to the peaceful reception of the new paper, under the alarming circumstances of the 11^ 134 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. momont, was tlio offer of the Jews and slopsellers to the sailors to take their notes from them at only ten per cent, less, and this as a great favour. Such an offer naturally occasioned a greater fear of loss in tho minds of the seamen than other causes which they could not so well comprehend, and alarm and discontent was evidently fast spreading among them. Mine was, therefore, a most critical situation, as our example would evidently guide all who were to follow. I there- fore lost not a moment in assembling the ship's crew, and spoke to them nearly as follows : — * My lads, — to-morrow, if the wind admits, we are to go out to Spithead, and on the following day we are to receive our pay. This will, in great part, consist of small bank notes, instead of guineas, which, from particular circumstances, cannot now be issued for that purpose. But the small notes you will receive are exactly under the same secu- rity as the large ones you have been always in the habit of receiving; and a twenty-shilling note is as exactly worth twenty shillings as you have always found a ten-pound note to be worth ten pounds in cash. Therefore we lose nothing by the new mode of payment; and, at all events, it is the duty of all good subjects cheerfully to fall in with any measures the Government is obliged to pursue for the general advantage. Now, I have been in- formed that some designing people have offered HIS CHARACTER. 135 to take your notes at a considerable gain to them- selves; and their making that offer Is a proof that they think the notes well worth buying, as they can have no other end in view but profit. I positively forbid any of you to part with a note for less than its assigned value, and whoever does so is an enemy to his country. If any j)erson comes again on board, and offers you less, seize him and bring him to me.' The payment took place with perfect content, and the system has continued ever since Now, if I had acted on the principle of letting the leaven work, with the design to check its effer- vescence by violence at whatever degree of work- ing I thought proper, what would have been the consequence ? I can have no doubt but that the small notes would have been refused ; a fearful struggle would have been the result, and the mutiny which broke out so soon after from other causes would have exploded on this, and the ex- tent of the effects can hardly be fancied As it was, we were quietly paid, and the next morning on the telegraphic news of the French frigate being in the channel, we started at a minute's warning, and in the midst of all the bustle of spending the bank notes at full value." Copies of the letters which he received from the crew of the Cleopatra, after leaving the ship, have been preserved, and shall be transcribed in 136 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. a note *. They are expressed throughout with the greatest and simplest respect, affection, and gratitude, and with many apologies and excuses, on the ground that " love will make free," for that simplicity itself which adds to their value. Large extracts from the tract referred to, are published in the third volume of " Ralfe's Naval Biography." On the subject of corporal punish- ment Sir Charles Penrose there states himself to be " fully aware that it has often been inju- diciously, and sometimes harshly inflicted ; but I know also," he adds, " that it has been often in- judiciously and weakly refrained from. I have maintained, and believe, that the advance made in the habits of reflection and exertion of the kindlier feelings in the higher classes, and of im- proved decency and morality in the lower, are fast blending in that happy harmony which will render corporal punishment of rare occurrence under the strictest discipline; but if there were only one dozen lashes in a year, inflicted throughout the navy, I would not withdraw the power of in- fliction I believe that during the whole extent of the mutinies in 1797, the seamen never once thought of petitioning for the disuse of corporal punishment, but, on the contrary, were sometimes lavish in their use of it, during their assumed command ; much more so than their legal * See note K at the end of this Memoir. HIS CHARACTER. 137 commanders had ever been. They did, indeed, complain of some few insulated instances of the abuse of the power, hereby still more fully allow- ing the propriety of its use ; nor do I believe that there is an honest old seaman in tl'e fleet, who knows the stuff some of his shipmates are ahvays compounded of, who would not readily declare that this power is decidedly necessary for the good of the service. A very worthy old captain thought proper to introduce a novel style of discipline into his ship, and when a man com- mitted a fault, he delegated a jury of his peers to try and pass sentence upon him ; and, if I am rightly infornied (as 1 believe 1 am) the captain has often superintended a much severer punishment than would have been ordered in the common mode of proceeding." The internal evidence of this last extract certainly vouches the accuracy of the information received. Character private and professional so mingle together and influence each other in all things, that they can scarcely be ever regarded as wholly distinct. The same promptitude, both of seeing and acting, which marked Admiral Penrose both as seaman and as commander, he also carried with him in every walk through his farms, his garden, and his grounds ; and he consequently 138 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. ranked amongst the most improving agriculturists of the highly-intelligent neighbourhood in which he lived. Several remarks by him are inserted in the agricultural survey of Cornwall, by Mr. Worgan, and there is a sort of stamp of his ready discernment in the plan which is there given by him of a field gate, exactly on the principle of the diagonal fastenings afterwards proposed in ship-building by Sir Robert Seppings. Also in all matters of higher science, he was not only zealous to promote them himself, but also to en- courage and facilitate, by every possible means within his power, the researches of others. When he arrived at Palermo in the win<6i of 1814, he found the now well-known Captain ■ •! Smyth, then only a lieutenant, engaged in :,.., Biurvey of the coasts of the Mediterranean, a survey which he had commenced at his own cost, and in a borrowed Sicilian gun-boat. The Admiral would not be satisfied till he had procured him a proper ship and establishment from home, to which occurrence it is mainly owing, observes Captain Smyth, that the study of hydrography has since been so widely cultivated. When the ship arrived, the Admiral aided also all he could in Captain Smyth's farther arrangements, and urged him while waiting for it to pursue his journey to Leptis, and his search for Ghizzali. Many letters and other papers now in the Admiralty bear tes- HIS CHARACTLIR. 139 timony to the zeal shown by Sir Charles Penrose to promote both this, and many other objects of science ; and, amongst the rest, to aid Mr. Ritchie and Captain Lyon in their mission to Bornou*. One maxim which, as many of his friends must remember, he was always earnest to impress on others, was a maxim which certainly he himself never forgot : " Duty and difficulty," he used to say, "should never cross the mind together. Do what you can, and leave the conquest, if you are to be conquered, to fate or necessity. But you will often, if not ordinarily, conquer both." Such as here described, both professionally and practically, was Admiral Penrose, in resource, character, and accomplishments. Neither yet was any man, probably, ever more domestic. He was among the tenderest of hisbands, and the kindest of fathers. His gaiety was exuberant. No party ever was dull at which he was present. Perhaps there never was any other man, who spoke his mind so freely, who gave in the so doing so little offence. He loved company; he was eminently hospitable; and though in the later portion of his life, the infirm state of his wife's healtli led him on her account almost to ab- stain from leaving home, and also in a great degree * See note L at the end of this Memoir. 140 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. from inviting his friends to visit him, he was not the less the life and happiness of his own household, and recognised as such by every mem- ber of it. "I feel," says his amiable daughter, " that I am not fitted to draw his character. In writing of him, what we have lost is always at my heart. All I say is drawing onward to the close of his life ; while his likeness should be drawn with a buoyant spirit, for such was his, always hopeful, sanguine, energetic. His was the quick resolve which immediately produced action; to- gether with the ready wit, the playfulness in table talk, which kept all in liveliness about him. When in 1807, at Ethy, he had a visit from Mr. Graham of Fin try, one of the friends of his Scottish sojourn in 1785, the tears actually ran down his guest's face, while his host, whose spirits were raised to the highest pitch by his friend's unexpected arrival, kept up an exuberant flow of anecdote and gaiety, and he exclaimed, " He is exactly the same ! exactly the same ! " — Also, amidst all this social liveliness, there does not seem to have been a moment to be named in which his inmost mind was not irradiated as by the special presence of that Giver of all good, to whom he habitually re- ferred both his thoughts and his actions; or in which he was not, to use again his daughter's words, " inwardly praising Him in the spirit of the hymn he loved, that his bounteous hand had made HIS CHARACTER. 141 his cup run o'er ; and gratefiil to Him especially for the cheerful heart that tasted those gifts with joy." And yet it may here be asked, how many might have been set to drink of what to the outward eye might be the same cup, and yet have found in it nothing but bitterness? His friends and contemporaries had passed him by in the road, to the higher honours of his profession. They made fortunes in it — he made none; and in the positions in which he was placed in his later commands, found it hard not to trench on the very small prize moneys which had fallen to his share while he was only a captain. Formed as he was, above almost all men, to delight in the happiness of domestic life, he was taken away from it, during long periods, by harassing service. In his domes- tic life itself, he was afflicted by the gradual decay and death of his beautiful daughter, Mrs. Main- waring, and by the frequent and severe illnesses of his wife. His own health was often broken down by severe and painful disease ; and he lost, one after another, many of those both private and professional friends with whom he was most in- timate, and to whom he was most strongly attached. And yet he still was doubtless, what he believed himself to be, an eminently happy man. Such is the blessing of a boon nature, coupled, as in him, with a pure conscience and a high integrity, •'^iMqjltlt.-t'Ku^v 142 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. h together with an unceasing confidence in the goodness of that always present and presiding Power, whom he, if any man, kept always before his eyes. Neither yet was Admiral Penrose's religion merely that essential religion of the heart (though that, indeed, in the divine estimate is everything,) which leads both the knowing and the ignorant to bow with equal acceptableness before their common God. His active mind overflowed also into many of the studies connected with religion. Many of the writings which he has left behind him are on doctrinal subjects. When he was at Malta, he wrote a long and most valuable letter to his nephew, on the Shipwreck of St. Paul, the matter of which is incorporated in the work now in course of publication by Messrs. Conybeare and Howson, on St. Paul's history. He has left behind him more than a hundred brief manuscript discourses, which he read himself, on Sunday evenings, to his family. And his warm zeal — and it was very warm — for the emancipation of the Roman Catholics, was a zeal which had its root not in his politics, but in his religion itself, or in his Christian solicitude to see all possible obstacles removed to the union of all good men in a religious sympathy, which is still rather to be prayed for than expected. This subject may here be concluded, and the character, both of his own religious cheerfulness HIS CHARACTER. 143 and meditative habits on the subject of religion, strongly evidenced, by the following extract from his last letter to his nephew; a letter written September 17, 1829, on receiving the intelli- gence of the loss of his brother, and a little more than three months before his own death. " Happy are they," it is snid in this letter, " who, in the performance of tue duty of prayer, can experience that ready enjoyment of devotional sensation which makes the duty so feelingly delightful — such a mental gratification. It is an added pleasurable religious sense, but is not an acquirable talent, and differs from that satisfaction which arises from a consciousness of doing that which is right from proper motives, and in a proper manner. Many more there are, I hope and believe, who could neither collect their ideas in lengthened prayerj of their own composing, nor even suffi- ciently fix their attention on the best forms composed for them, so as to feel the enjoyinent of prayer ; but who still may keep God in all their thoughts, and thank God for all the blessings they enjoy ; and ' God's will be done,' whatever may befall them, will arise in their hearts with corre- spondent gratitude and resignation." h CHAPTER X. CONCLUSION. 1819—1830. Little now remains except to give some account of the closing scene of this most active, and well spent, and, as it has been seen, even happy life. That scene was at once too impressive and too consolatory to be here omitted, or very briefly described. Some of the few events, however, which had previously taken place in Admiral Penrose's family, must first be stated, and some mention made of his chief occupations at Ethy, after his return there in 1819. When he left Malta, his second daughter had remained behind with her husband. Captain Main- waring, who unhappily fell soon afterwards into a declining state of health, which ended in consump- tion. He came back with his wife to England, to Ethy, where he lingered some time, and after- wards went to Bath, where he died. Admiral Penrose then fetched his daughter home ; but the insidious disease had taken root in her own frame, and she died November 28, 1823. CONCLUSION. 145 a Lady Penrose became also at this time a great suff -er from ill health. Little did any one then surmise that she would survive her husband. Her last visit to Bath, in June, 1824, failed to revive her ; and he, therefore, on her account, withdrew in great measure from society; and never, after his return from this visit to Bath, slept another night out of his own house. The health also of his youngest daughter now began to fail. " And shall not that child," she says, " record what a father she found in him ? Whether in sickness or in health, how full of kind and delicate attentions, how desirous to animate her to usefulness, yet how careful of her health !" She adds that her sister, Mrs. Mainwaring, had been used to ask, when nearly at her last, " Let him come and talk to me," thus indicating what that consolation was which she most greatly prised. During this period of his last residence at Ethy, Admiral Penrose's pen was always busy. He wrote a great number of manuscript essays, from which fragments have been extracted in the second chapter, and in other parts of this Memoir. He printed and published tracts to help the unlearned in Scripture reading ; and also tracts of advice to seamen. He published also, in 1824, his pamphlet mentioned before on naval discipline, and on the impress service. He was a most efficient member of the Christian knowledge and church missionary, L ,iiai#>ii^»..i. *'< v.' 146 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. and other religious societies, and a most useful and active coadjutor to his excellent friend, Mr. Walker, the Vicar of St. Winnow, in every neigh- bourly and parochial office which he could fill. He wrote a series of short lectures on the liturgy for his own family use, together with another series on the Bible history, and other discourses. But the study of the Bible itself was both his great pleasure and his first care ; " and the effect," says his most amiable domestic biographer, " was seen ; for we all felt that he became more and more gentle, and satisfied, and loving. His heavenly Father was leading him home, while we were delighting in his health and cheerfulness, and little anticipating his end so near." In September, 1829, he received intelligence, after some weeks of preparatory warning, of his brother's death. Though feeling sensibly this great bereavement, it did not seem to affect his own health, and he continued well till December. Three or four weeks before his death, he found his right hand fail, in writing. He did not mention this at first, but practised making his signature with his left hand. " We trll remarked," says his daughter, " how very much he felt the cold, and that he was not quite well. But it was a sharp winter with snow, and we were willing to hope that the numbness in his arm would pass away with it. On the contrary, it increased, and we CONCLUSION. 147 felt alarm, all but my mother, to whom so great an evil as his being paralytic, never occurred. His chief fear was that of giving her uneasiness ; and, when he found that he could not refrain from rubbing his arm, he would leave the room that he might not draw her attention. She was more than usually ill, and still he continued to be her nurse and support, though fearful that if he put his hand under her, it might lose its power, and so betray him." Unable to go to church, she proposed to him to desire that the sacrament might be administered to her at Ethy; and ho embraced the idea so eagerly, that she fancied he thought that it might be her last opportunity of receiving it — little imagining that it might be his own. He was not able to go to church on Christmas Day ; but he read aloud a short sermon in the evening, and afterwards joined his youngest daughter in singing one of the Christmas carols. The next day he was better, and called on Captain and Mrs. (_ jode, at their cottage, and on another neighbour, and read aloud in the evening. He had, however, passed much of the day in wallving up and down the room ; always humming the air of the Thirty- fourth Psalm, of which the words, " Through all the changing scenes of life," &c. were doubtless, as his daughter well observes, pass- ing through his mind. In the middle of the night L 2 148 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. following', he was struck with palsy. Reviving from a strong fit, he folt that the hand of death was on him, and exclaimed immediately, that he loved his God and Saviour, and did not fear it, and referred to the text 1 Tim i. 15, the text of the sermon which he had read in the evening of Christmas Day. The few directions still left to be given with respect to his worldly affairs, were soon com- pleted; and his only remaining thoughts were for the charities of this world, and the hopes of a better. He still lived for some days, and there seemed to be at first a hope of recovery, for which he expressed himself thankful. He would be glad, he said, to live to cheer his wife, and to resume his daily visits to his daughter and her husband, and to his grandchildren. But he soon felt that death was inevitable. That he was perfectly resigned to the blow scarcely needs, after what has been already said, to be added. Every attention paid to him he overpaid by the kindest expressions of attection and thankfulness. His countenance remained unchanged to the last, and his intellect clear. He sent his blessing to his friends, expressed himself happy in the oppor- tunities which he had had of conciliating diffe- rences, and spoke to those around him on the beauty of the Christian virtue of charity. The most cheering and consoling texts and hymns con- tinued to flow into his mind ; and when, at his CONCLUSION. 141) desire, his favourite hymn was repeated to him, he emphatically joined in the lines, — *' Welcome sleep, or death to me, I 'm still secure, for still with thee." He fell into a slumber at about six in the morning of the 29th; but continued to breathe till January 1, when he expired at about four in the morning. Lis remains were deposited in the c' urchyard at Sr,, Winnow, with every possible tribute of respect and affection from both rich and poor ; ard a tablet, with the following inscrip- tion, was ivi'terwar > j erecled by his widow to his memory, in St. Wnnow Church: " In meme ,• o^ Sir C. V. Per .^e, K.C.B., Vice- Admiral of the Waito, who died at Etliy, Jan. 1, 1830, aged 70. " The voice at midnight carao, To meet thy God prepare : — A mortal arrow pierc'd his frame ; He died but felt no fear ; For Jesus, thou art strong to save, Thou art victorious o 'er the grave." On the same tablet is subjoined this farther notice : — " In memory also of his second daughter, Charlotte Murray Maiuwaring, who died at Ethy, Nov. 28, 1823." * Lady Penrose died at Ethy, April 3, 1832. Mrs. Coode has left three sons and one daughter : * See note, p. 1 1 . 150 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. I' 111 J Charles Penrose, born in 1 820, now a Capt. R.M., married in 1845, Charlotte Sophia Frances, only daughter of Capt. Charles Basden, R.N. (by whom he has one daughter), born in 1821. John Penrose, now Capt. 35th Regiment Madras Native In fantry. Trevenen Penrose, born in 1822, now First Lieutenant of H. M. S. Plumper. Elizabeth Penrose, married, in 1846, William Henry Prance, Esq., and has two children. ! I NOTES. Note A. p. 1. REV. JOHN PENBOSE, OF CJLUVIAS. The Rev. John Penrose, vicar of Gluvias, was born September 22, 1713. He was brought up at the High School in Exeter, under the able tuition of Mr. Reynolds, and afterwards at Exeter College, in Oxford. On first entering into the church he became curate of Mailing, in Kent, and afterwards of Shobrooke, in Devon. In 1737 he was made rector of Sowton, and in September, 1741, was collated by his friend and patron, Bishop Weston, to the vicarage of Gluvias. He married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. John Vinicombe, of Exeter, and sister of the Rev. Charles Vinicombe, vicar of Brixham, by whom he had seven children : Frances, tnarried the Rev. William Hocker, vicar of St. Enoder. Betty, married Edward Coode, Esq., of Penryn. Margaret, died unmarried. Mary, married the Rev. Thomas Donnithome. Dorothy, married Vice-Admiral Pender. John. Charles Vinicombe. He was a man of the greatest and sincefest Christian in* dustry and zeal, and many of his manuscript sermons and lectures, which still remain in the hands of his grandson, in- dicate him to have possessed a high degree both of Intel- 152 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. lectual ability, and of classical and professional learning. Some few hymns composed for the use of his congregation, and some few relics of very playful Latin verses, which it was his amusement to compose during the long period of bodily weakness and suffering which preceded his death, are written with very remarkable happiness and delicacy, both of thought and expression. His health became broken early in life, but was partially restored by a visit to Bath in 1706. He died June 25, 1776. He was a man of a most kindly and hospitable nature, attached his friends to him very strongly, and had great influence in his neiglibourhood, in which the traditional respect in which his memory was long held is scarcely yet forgot. His epitaph, which was written by his estimable friend Mrs. Hannah More, and is still carefully preserved in the church at Gluvias, is as follows : — *' If social manners, if the gentlest mind. If zeal for God, and love for human kind, If all the charities that life endear Can claim affection or demand a tear, Then, Penrose, o'er thy venerable urn. Domestic love may weep, and friendship mourn. The path of duty still untir'd he trod ; He walk'd with safety, for he walk'd with God. When past the power of precept and of prayer, Yet still the flock remain 'd the shepherd's care; Their wants still nobly watchful to supply. He taught his last, best lesson — how to die." Though these lines are pleasing and harmonious, they did not altogether satisfy some who knew Mr. Penrose well, and who thought that his learning and his ability, his great buoy- ancy of spirit, and most cheerful resignation during a long period of often acute suffering, ought not to have been for- gotten in an inscription to his memory. Sir Charles Penrose, in describing in 18'40 the portraits of many long lost friends. NOTES A AND B. 153 and a few other drawings which he had collected around him in his private apartment at Ethy, speaks of his parents and of the pleasing scene at Gluvias, in which his early childhood had been passed, in the following words : *' There is the like- ness of my venerated father ; there the scene of my birth and infant years, recalling long past hours to my recollection. I fancy I still witness my beloved father's paternal fondness strongly operating upon his hopes and expectations for the future prospects and well-being of his idle boy ; and feel the fond and fostering care of a darling mother, combing -the hair, or guarding the complexion, while with much devotion she was mentally imploring blessings on her child. These were happy, thrice happy days, and at this distance of time it is a truly gratifying sensation to exult in the excellence of long lost parents, and to glow from the certainty of their happiness in a better world. There are the trees I first climbed ; there the tower on whose summit I delighted to play; and the church in which my good father exerted himself to secure to his flock a better pasture, and where, with those of his beloved wife, his mortal remains are deposited." Note B. p. 6. KEV, JOHN PENROSE, EECTOR OF FLEDBOROUOII. The Rev. John Penrose, Sir Charles Penrose's elder brother, was bom at Gluvias, Aug. 16, 1753. He was edu- cated at Truro School, of which the excellent Mr. Conon was then master, and afterwards at Exeter College, Oxford, where he was elected fellow in 1774. He took a LL.B. degree in 1778. On taking orders he was for a short time curate of Camborne, and afterwards rector successively of two livings in Cornwall — Cardynham (which he held till his brother-in- law, the Rev. Thomas Trevenen, was of age to be instituted to it) and Perran Uthno. In 1786 he became curate of Constantine, and resided while he held that curacy at Carwe- ^■U^AL"»f».. 154 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. thenack, a small countiy house about a mile from the church. In 1801 he removed to Fledborough, in Nottinghamshire, a small living to which he had been inducted in 1784. He died of paralysis, Sept. 14, 1829. He married, April 2, 1 778, Jane Trevenen, by whom he had a large family. Mrs. Penrose died at Fledborough, July 15, 1818. Their eldest son, the compiler of this Memoir, will not trust himself to speak here of his father's character. But he cannot refuse to add that a friend, who knew and appreciated him, has within the last few months pointed out the following extract from a recent review, as conveying a no less true than lively representation, not indeed of his virtues, but of the manner and physiognomy which were their result. None who knew him can fail to see and appreciate the very remark- able likeness of the portraiture. " If a man walks with a divine spirit, those who know its effects will be able to trace its presence. It is not that he is abstracted in his look ; it is not that there is anything sancti- monious in his tone ; yet insensibly his tone and look shall be different from the voice of greed or anger, the look of cunning or selfishness. It is a rare thing to find those who walk in the spirit ; but those among us who have been privi- leged to hold intercourse with such persons will remember that they were affected by them almost unconsciously — a virtue went out of them : they seemed to have an ever pre- sent feeling of what was right, and true, and lovely. In danger they were calm ; in their pleasures they were innocent ; in their very censures they were lovable. When they were by, cheerfulness was refined, and the turbulence of grief was appeased. They did us good, we knew not how; and the hours when we walked with them are those which our own spirits prompt us gratefully to retrace." NOTES C AND D. 155 NoTK C. p. 18. " TO C. V. PENROSE, ESQ., CAPT. OF H.M.S. SANS PAREIL. " Barbados, Jan. 11, 1800. " Stu, — We lament that this return, though of our heartiest thanks, yet so inadequate to your merits, is the only one which men in our situation can make for the protecting care and attention we have uniformly experienced in our passage to this island. The length of it might perhaps have excited some anxiety in the minds of those who from friendship or in- terest were expecting us, hut for ourselves, secured as we were by your vigilance and good conduct, the time passed unheeded by us, and we entertained no doubt but that the event would b3, what it has proved, a fortunate one to those who were imme- diately interested in our safety, and certainly by its con- sequences a beneficial one to our country at large. Sailors, sir, you know, are unused to the language of flattery, and therefore you will, we are sure, believe we are sincere when we declare that we never witnessed an instance where a fleet was conducted with superior skill, and restraints less irksome to the commanders of the merchant vessels, a declaration which we hope might be re-echoed in the ears of our gracious Sovereign, and accelerate the reward which we cannot but think is preparing for you. With the utmost respect, we remain, sir, &c., &c." Signed by the captains of 47 merchant vessels. Note D. p. 18. OnsfeKVATIONS IN THE WEST INDIES. " On one occasion," he says, " I paid a short vi^it to the proprietor of a large estate in a good part of Jamaica. Having studied my friend's land a little, at the time when they were preparing the ground for the culture of Indian corn, and seen all the gany at work for a day or two, I per- ^(Mb^kiiaaM^. 156 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. suaded the proprietor himself to go with me into the field. We found there about 200 negroes drawn up in a line, each armed with a tool something like our light turnip hoes. Part of the gang consisted of stout able men, part of females of various ages, many of them large with child, and some who were nurses, and also many boys and girls. Their employ was to make holes in the ground to receive the seed. All were obliged to lift up their hoes, and strike them into or on the ground at the same moment, and as regularly as the ex- ercise of a soldier ; else the whip resounded. " ' My dear sir,' I began, ' is it not clear, in the first place, that the women with child, those who are nursing, and the younger ones of either sex, do too much work by performing the same tasks as the stout men, or else that you lose con- siderably by allowing the stout men to perform the same task as is allotted to their feebler companions ? ' This could not be controverted, and I proceeded as follows : • You have now,' I said, 'nearly fourfecore oxen and mules idle, fed at great expense of labour and food ; and I will show you that two of these animals will perform more of this work than your two hundred negroes, and also do it very much better.' I then took a hoe from the hand of a negress, and having made a small hole in the surface, I put the handle of the hoe into it, and pushed it before me at a good pace, thus making with great ease a small trench, deeper than the holes the negroes were making, and at a rate which would have enabled me to prepare more opening for the reception of the seed in half an hour, than all the gang could do in double that time. My query then was : ' What would not two oxen or mules do here with a small plough ? ' This all seemed too evident to deny ; the senses were satisfied, and the feelings gratified, and I had thanks and praises in abundance from the proprietor, but a scowl of anger and contempt from the understrappers. That I may not be thought to mean that all West-Indian lands could be so easily managed, I must state that the land in NOTE ■• D. 167 question was light and sandy, and that when such land has been laid smooth, the warm tropical sun, succeeding heavy dews, makes a sort of light crust on the surface, strong enough to make it hard to break by the feeble stroke of slavery, though an instrument inserted beneath breaks it up with ease. This may have been an extreme case as to t!ie degree of ease; but the general principle of what is above stated holds good in all lands. I feel much satisfaction in believing that, though unsuccessful here, I have been the means of the plough being used with success in other islands, particularly in Antigua. " An English agriculturist will hardly credit the fact that this planter kept the large number of animals before men- tioned for the sole purpose of grinding the sugar-canes in crop time, a work of only a few weeks' duration, and that at all other times they were left entirely idle, even the canes themselves being brought from the field to the mill on the shoulders of the slaves. I trust that the steam-engine and other mechanical improvements have at length made some little progress in doing away with this clumsy system ; but on inquiring some time after whether any of my lectures had produced any good effect — alas not ! The manager assured his master that any change must produce ruin ; that 200 negroes were sometimes wanted on the estate, and that there- fore everything on the estate must be done by 200 negroes, and that oxen and mules could not possibly do anything but grind sugar-canes. My host took to his sofa, drank man- dram and ate loUypot. And yet this man had been brought up at Oxford, and had succeeded to his West-Indian property unexpectedly, after the period of his academical education was over, and was far from being destitute either of good feeling or sense. But the produce of his estate could most assuredly have been doubled with ease, and at one-fourth part of the actual expense, by any experienced man who could continue in the use of his English morals and faculties of exertion." '-iMM'i^^ilM.ljU,. 158 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. i! I Thus much with regard to this Jamaica plantation. " But I will resume my narrative," he afterwards adds, " with some farther statement of had management. At a plantation in the island of St. Christophers, I one day saw several hundred negroes go out to their lahours early in the morning, each with a hoe of rather light weight in his hand. They were employed, when I afterwards saw them, to hoe between rows of sugar-cane in a light easy soil, for which their tools were well adapted. But still a pair of mules, or oxen, with a good horse hoe, followed by a banking plough, would have done with ease more work in a day than all this gang would per- form in a week, and do the work much better. "The following morning, seeing the same people go out with the same tools, T naturally concluded they were going to the same employ as before. But no ! they were now going to clear a piece of wood ground, as difficult as an old English oak copse would be to root up, and which besides was thickly entangled with strong prickly brushwood. The strongest and heaviest tools with which human beings can labour was requi- site for this work. Now, do these planters deserve to have human beings under such misdirection, even if their folly only be taken into consideration ? " I have mentioned nurses working at the hoe with the other negroes ; and it was about this time I first saw one of the most singular scenes that can possibly meet the eye of a European : namely, a group of infants in the field in which the gang is at work. This affecting spectacle came on me by surprise as I entered an extensive sugar-cane patch, where a very large gang were at work with their hoes. Close to the part at which I entered was a large silk cotton tree spreading its branches at least one hundred feet. Under its shade were fifty or more infants, some able to crawl lustily about, others so young as to lie quietly on their backs. It resembled a great ant's nest magnified — so many black worms crawling or sprawling about. To guard these from snakes, or from wan- NOTE D. 169 dering too far, some old negresses, past any other work, were employed, forming a most singular contrast with their charge ; for as no form can be more round, glossy, and sleek than that of the young African, so nothing which you can see of the most squalid old age in England can give a just idea of an old negress ; her sable hue, embrowned by exposure, changed to a dirty tawny hide, and her black wool also become brown, mixed with white, and her original plump form emaciated to a skeleton. To complete this haggard and humiliating figure of a human being, fancy her hands, feet and legs, dry .and scaly, and you will then have in some degree before your imagination these sentinels I saw placed over the infant blacks Such is the field nursery of an Indian planta- tion. I certainly remarked, both here and elsewhere after- wards, that all the children who were able tried to crawl out into the sunshine ; and I will here mention another case or two to prove the congeniality of this climate to the negro race. With all the precautions we can take by well-spread awnings, a European boat's crew sufiFers severely from the heat of the tropical sun. To save our people I selected a boat's crew wholly of black men, and provided them with an awning, the same as in other boats ; but I found that whenever they got out of sight of the ship, they invariably furled their covering, in order to enjoy the full comfort of the sun's rays. I was once riding with a planter under the shade of a large umbrella, when I noticed in the best situation that could be found for receiving the full power of the sun's rays, and shutting out all the breeze, a large grinding stone. Near it was a large empty shed. ' Why do you not have the grind- stone put under this shed, that the poor creatures may work in the shade ?' The stone was placed in the shed accord- ingly, but in a few hours I found that the negroes, when they came to use it, had taken it out to the same place again, that they might enjoy their broil. I took some pains to discover 160 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. whether any trick was played me, but I am assured that it was the pure voluntary African taste which caused the removal. " It is a very mistaken notion that all negroes are alike, with thick lips, flat noses, and clumsy persons. Such is far from being the case ; and I have seen many forms from which Canova might be glad to model, even in the centre of Italy, and features which would be admired in a British court. Indeed, the features of the natives of different African na- tions are fully as strongly marked as the distinction between a Dane and an Italian, a native of France and a citizen of Amsterdam. Nor are their national character and habits less strongly defined ; and the result of my observation is, that the qualities of the minds and bodies of the negroes, as im- planted by nature, are fully equal to those of their white brethren." To these observations Capt. Penrose adds many others in decisive reprobation of the whole system of slavery, and on the better and kindlier treatment of slaves in the French islands than in our own. This whole topic has been discussed too often to be enlarged on here. " But to proceed," he adds, " with my account of our own management. Wiien it was found that no more slaves could be imported after a certain time, many planters began to talie more and better cai'e of those they already possessed, and hired what are called jobbing gangs, which wei'e in consequence increased. These gangs consisted of a certain number of negroes, mostly males, and were generally the property of persons living in the great towns, who had saved some money and speculated in this way, but possessing no lands from which to procure proper food, or houses in which to shelter these poor creatures when out of hire. "When a planter had any particular heavy work to do, or what required to be pressed on rapidly, he hired one or more of these gangs to do the work by the piece, and of course the NOTE D. 101 owner worked his slaves as hard aa possible, in order to be ready for another job. Sometinjes applications are made for one of those gangs while engaged in Home other work, and it is then sure to have the full severity of its taskmaster en- forced, for fear of losing a customer, and the very moment a job is finished at one place, is driven w.th all dispatch to another. I never saw in any of these gangs any changes of clothes, or any article of comfort whatever, except a few pots and kettles to dress their food. It was a melancholy spec- tacle to see these miserably-used people on the road froin one job to another. They literally had no abiding place, and were as much worse off than plantation negroes as the worst-used hack-horses or asses are, compai'ed with those on a gentleman's estate." With regard to the trade in slaves, ho concludes, " Our present system of capturing vessels of other nations trafficking in slaves within certain limits, is inoperative as any consider- able check. We have nfiped the blot from our statute books, but we have not in the smallest degree benefited the poor negroes, nor improved the character of the people whom we have so long stimulated to evil. Neither have we, I fear, much ameliorated the condition of the slaves in our own colonies." To these statements Capt. Penrose subjoins the anecdote, that at a ball given at this time in Jamaica, by a rich planter, " one of the lieutenants of marines, who by his grandmother had some relation to the negro race, was by the ladies found guilty of a skin, and therefore could not procure a partner. I told this story," he adds, " to Lord Hugh Seymour, who was also at the ball with Lady Horatia, and he deputed me as ambassador to beg her to dance with the rejected swain, if she danced at all. She complied with great pleasure and ad- mirable grace, and certainly I enjoyed the deep creole morti- fication around me." He then adds, " When I was at St. Vincent's, in 1800, I saw the last families of the aborigines— M . ^mmiiinmu^sj 1C2 Ml'E OF ADMIIIAL PKNROSK. the poor unfortunj..« lairds — and I brought away a basket of their making, as a remembrance of the interview. Their in- tention not to mix with any other race is inflexibly adhered to, and a small remnant of the same people in the island of Dominica are equally tenacious of the same principle." Note E. p. 19. C. V. PENROSE, JUN. Charles Vinicombe, second son of the Rev. John Penrose, was bom at Cardynham, Nov. 13, 1781. He first entered the navy on board the Glory, at Plymouth, in November, 1793, and afterwards went with bis uncle into the Lynx, and subse- quently into the Cleopatra. In March, 1800, he was made second-lieutenant of the Amphitrite, in the West Indies. But in the early part of the following May he contracted a fever from over-heating himself while on shore at St. Pierre, in Martinique, on the impress service, and after having been removed on board the Sans Pareil, where he received every comfort which care, and nursing, and the skill of Dr. Blair, then the physician to the fleet, could minister, died on the 13th. His last act was to look his uncle full in the face, and to say distinctly, and with a smile, " I know you." He then took hold of his uncle's right hand, and placed it on his breast, and soon after tranquilly breathed his last. " The only moment of alarm or mental uneasiness," says Capt. Pen- rose, " which I saw him labour under was when I came into the cabin one day, and found him apparently asleep. I had uot slept the night before, and had had a good deal of anxiety and fatigue, which had made me hot for want of rest. I took his arm, and felt his pulse as usual, when he started up in his bed, and exclaimed in alarm, * Why, uncle, you are as hot as I am.' No purer spirit," adds Captain Penrose, " ever sought a better world. No human being, whose thread of life was cut short at so early an age, was ever more, or more ex- f J ;pj NOTES E AND F. 1G3 tensively, regretted." By his uncle especmlly he was loved as a son. " I do not think," he says in a letter to hia wife, " that his parents loved him better than I did, or thought more, or more anxiously, for his welfare. When Lord Hugh first spoke to me to be his captain, Charles's interests were the first that crossed my mind. When I tliought that ray situation here gave me interest and influence, it was on his account I desired it." " I never before," he says again in a subsequent letter, " saw one so youjig with so much just and serious re- flection, nor one so old with so much genuine innocence, or one who had lived amidst the scenes of the busy world with a heart so thoroughly void of guile. I was delighted with him as an officer, as he appeared to have happily a marked activity on duty, with the utmost mildness in command. I never saw such glowing unaff'ected tenderness as lighted up his inge- nuous countenance, when home was the subject of our conver- sation; and I cannot believe that a more dutiful son, or more fond brother, or more affectionate relative, ever breathed." If anything is to be added to this portraiture, it must be from the only letter, as is believed, in which his mother, after re- ceiving the intelligence of his death, ever trusted herself to speak of him, and in which she describes him, in words not less true than tender, as " young, gay, and fortunate, humble to his Maker, true to his friend, most fondly attached to hia relatives, pure in the midst of temptation, and kind to every one in distress." Note F. 23. On Admiral Penrose's going out to Passages a few months afterwards, he made many more observations of the same sort, respecting the mode in which the commissariat departments of both the army and navy were at this time managed. " The cost," he says, " of Lord Wellington's campaign was not less in the interval between the fall of St. Sebastian, in August, 1813, and the following February, than a million M 2 .* W"!!*'^. K/TfiiAk^'' 164 LIFE OP ADMIRAL PENROSE. Ill M sterling a week. The beef served up at his table at St. Jean de Luz was partly furnished by a number of beasts (27,000) bought in Estremadura at a low rate, and brought up gradu- ally for the supply of the army. So many of these died on the road, or were condemned on their arrival as unwholesome food, that the meat, when it came to be consumed, did not cost less than one pound sterling per pound ; and the live cattle sent from Ireland to Passages encountered in like manner so many casualties as to cost a third of that price." Again, " One day, when I was taxing all my ingenuity to in- crease my means of providing the boom for the Adour, a vessel came into the harbour of Passages, laden with spars and other parts of a wreck which had been picked up at sea. I landed directly, and told the chief commissary, that part if not all of this might be very useful in carrying on the intended operations ; adding, that if he sent immediately, he would pro- bably procure these articles at a much lower price than if the owner had time to learn that we were in want of them. ' My dear sir,' said the commissary, ' do you want them? then I am ordered to purchase ; the price is not of any consideration.' " Again, under the date of the following June : " Transports were at this time hired at the rate of II. is. per ton per month. One very fine ship had been lying several weeks at the wharf, because she had one of the army portable hospitals on board, and the head of the medical staff, not wanting it, would not have it landed. I remonstrated, of course, at the extravagant rate thus paid for mere store-room, being not less than 600?. per month, and the article itself scarce worth 100^ at first cost. But this argument had no avail, — the doctor had nothing to do with the cost ; and I was therefore obliged to order the hospital to be put ashore on the wharf, and trust to the doctor's care of it afterwards." Many other instances oc- curred of similar and even grosser improvidence. The whole expenditure of this war in the Peninsula must have been altogether enormous. It was stated on good authority, that NOTES F AND G. 165 after all which had been paid, a sum of not less than thirteen millions sterling still remained due at its close to the inha- bitants, for the hire of mules, waggons, and other articles of supply. Many of the bills were of the date of the retreat of Sir John Moore to Corunna, in 1809. These statements really appear to be but fair samples of the common case. During Admiral Penrose's command at Gibraltar, a cargo of hay was landed from England which did not cost less than 200i. per ton before it was consumed. Lime, moreover, was sent out there from England at the same time, to be used as cement of the limestone rock. Note G. p. 29. OF THE ENTRANCE OF THE ADOUR, IN 1814. The casualties on this service consisted in the death of Capt. Elliott, and Mr. Norman, of the brig Martial, and of four seamen drowned belonging to the same ship ; a master's mate and five seamen drowned from the Lyra; two seamen drowned from the Porcupine ; three transport boats lost, the number of men unknown ; and one seaman and one artillery-man badly wounded in the gun-boat No. JiO. This is the return of Capt. O'Eeilly's despatch ; and to this is to be added the loss of a Spanish chasse maree, the whole of whose crew perished in an instant. It was to the great regret of Admiral Penrose, that much of the detail of this hazardous service which he had given in his despatch to Lord Keith was omitted in the account published in the Gazette ; and he particularly regretted that his tribute to the great exertions of the officers and engineers who were embarked on board the country-boats were among the parts omitted. Certainly his despatch itself was very long, and at thut eventful crisis of the war there may have been reasons for curtailing it. But it was one of Admiral Penrose's first and dearest objects, throughout the whole of his life, to bring forward as much as possible the merits of all the officers employed under him. Partly in testimony to this his ■IB" 166 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. , lilF SI :;1 constant desire, and also to present the more distinctly to the unprofessional reader such a picture as can here be given of the passing the bar, the two following extracts, the first from the Admiral's original despatch, and the second from Capt, O'Reilly's letter to him, may be here subjoined. Admiral Penrose says to Lord Keith : " The loss of Capt. Elliott I very sincerely lament. He was not intended for the service of this bar, but was near me in his boat, for the pur- pose of giving every encouragement, and assistance if pos- sible, to our gallant fellows as they approached the surf. He incautiously allowed his boat to be drawn within its action, and was overwhelmed in an instant, not many minutes after I had expressed to him my approbation of the conduct of the vessels passing in. One only of his boat's crew was saved by the judicious and prompt directions of Capt. Hill, of the Rolla, who ordered one of his boats to push directly to their aid, but on no account to attempt to return. I observed with much satis- faction that this well-judged order was not attended with any loss to the Rolla s boat's crew ; but the boat was in an instant hove upon the beach. The fate of Mr. Norman, assistant- surgeon of the Martial, was singularly unfortunate. He had succeeded on getting on board a gun-boat, but upon her being thrown on the beach, he was killed by the falling of her twenty-four pounder." The extract from Capt. O'Reilly's letter is as follows : — "Camp, South of the Adour, ii6th Feb., 1814. " I shall now inform you of the different circumstances of my landing, which was two miles to the northward of Bayonne. Tlie pilots lefusing to conduct the boat in such a surf, and being well aware of the urgency of the case, I determined at all events tc trj' and laud, for the purpose of procuring pilots, which with much danger and some loss I effected. As soon as I was at all recovered, having been some time in the water, owing to the boat striking me in the back, I got a party of NOTE G. 167 troops and launched her across the sand into the river, where she was of the most material service in passing troops, there being but five small merchantmen's boats for that purpose; the current running too strong for using the pontoons, and the enemy having made an attack before with 1 400 men, which was repulsed by four companies of guards, >nth a rocket brigade, which did much damage. " Notwithstanding our losses on the bar, we got boats enough in for the purpose of the bridge. The whole of the boom vessels got in ; one run on shore in the harbour, but L do not think she will be lost. A gun-boat also run on shore, but I have every reason to think she will be got off, having made a dock for her. " I must now beg leave to call your attention to the ex- emplary conduct of Lieut. Collins, of the Porcupine, who has had the whole management of moving the bridge-boats, and to whose skill and energy the army is entii'ely indebted for the state of forwardness in whicli the bridge is at this moment. To give you an idea of the difficulties which that officer had to surmount, it is only necessary to say that he succeeded in mooring thirty vessels, head and stern, in a river running seven knots ; and I rest assured that, when you consider the exertions which such an operation requires, you will not with- hold your satisfaction at his conduct, but rather join all the officers here high in rank in commendation of his success and ability. Lieut. Douglas has had the entire management of the boom, has succeeded in laying it once across the river, and I have no doubt but he will finish it this evening ; his personal exertions on this important service have been un- ceasing, and well deserve to be crowned with success. Lieut. Chesshire, who commands the gun-boats, deserves all I can say of him for his judicious management of them over so danger- ous a bar, and for the manner in which he anchored them afterwards for the protection of the boats during the night. (Signed) " D. O'Reilly." "KM.,; !«MgJ#;irj^ . 168 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. Further details of this service, together with an account of the method of constructing the bridge, -will be found in the memoir of Capt. Coode, inserted in the second volume of the supplement to Marshall's " Naval Biography." Baron Thevenot, who was at this time governor of Bayonne, subsequently told Admiral Penrose that 'vhen he saw the tihips with the flotilla approach the bar, it never came into his mind thut there was any intention to build a bridge, but that it had been planned to operate against the city simultaneously from the river, and from each bank. Therefore, instead of taking measures to impede the formation of the bridge, he began himself the construction of a boom, to prevent gun-boats, &c., from coming hig.'i up the stream. ill Note H. p. 65. FERDINAND OF NAPLES. One reason which apparently weighed at this time with Ferdinand for going to Messina was, that the laudable prac- tice of making presents to the monarch on his visits in his dominions still survived in Sicily. This practice was not dis- continued on tliis occasion. In the many unreserved communications which Admiral Penrose had with this good-natured monarch, both at Palermo and in this double voyage, first to Messina, and afterwards to Naples, he had full opportunity given him of making obser- vations on a character of which, though ■■•.■-t high, yet he thought that too low an opinion seemed to prevail. The king's circumstances had been against him. He had come to the throne when about six years old. I< had been the selfish policy of bad ministers to keep him as ignorant as possible, to surround him with temptations, and to marry him at an early age to a woman whose conduct and intrigues debased both him and herself, and who usually treated and considered him as her slave. ■fTi .TrY^.J,-::^'/'' NOTES H AND I. 169 *' Thus trained," says the Admiral in his journal, " and thus united, he never could bear the tedium of business or council, but flew from it, as is well known, to his gun, and allowed the queen and her minions to have their own way. And thus were choked the feelings of what was naturally a good heart, and of an .'.nderstanding not by any means below par. I^ the state in which I found him at Palermo, when his minister, Medici, had been sent to England, Circello had become old, and Lucchesi was at the gaming-table, he was compelled to exert himself, and showed both assiduity and understanding in tho transaction of his own business, under this necessity. Our very able minister, Mr. A'Court, has told me that he never knew his affairs so well conducted as at this time. Certainly he looked like a king. A long series of years had made him feel as well as act as the firat personage in his realm, and he would have been selected as such from a multitude around him, even though dressed in the meanest garb, and though he had an unintelligent eye. I recollect our ambassador standing with me on the poop, looking down on him and his ministers in a group, and engaged in earnest conversation on the quarter- deck, and saying to me, ' How plain it is to see which is the king.' Both in attitude and manner he often reminded me of his far superior brother-sovereign, George III. I certainly performed all my duty to him with all my heart, and with right good will, and I am sure that he felt trnl} grateful to me for these services, and perhaps I may add, for the plain and open manner in which they were rendered." Note I (referred to as Note E. in text), p. 126. SEAMANSHIP AND SIGNALS. Amongst Admiral Penrose's observations on seamanship are several notices on the desirableness of always anchoring, when compelled by weather to anchor off a lee shore, as near the shore at the bottom or inner part of a bay as the depth of water and other circumstances permit. He had observed that, •^'t^ac'mmisemifmi .iie*:; :..mk'mS!m,t»l!t> 170 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. ^'^t I fy n 1 V, in the hardest gales, a ship so 8 chored will have but little strain on the cables; for, in the ' ii place, there is always an under-tow or offset below the sun 3e ; and secondly, the tides always sweep round the shores of the bay, and, operating on the ship's quarters, lighten the strain on the cables. He adds, that " when in Palermo Bay some of our ships were caught in a heavy gale, two or more cut away their masts to save their cables. To the great surprise of the cr Cape Ferrot, thus keeping close along that long and remarkably- straight line of the French coast which runs from the entrance of the Gironde to the Adour. This is a course on which, under the ordinary dread of the bottom of the Bay of Biscay, a seaman is naturally unwilling to venture, and in an in- l.r NOTE I. 171 clement season particularly. But as the wind blew fresh from the iiwrth east, and the whole Continent was covered with snow, the Admiral felt almost certain that the wind would continue to blow off the land till some change of temperature should take place; and he concluded also that, on drawing near the north coast of Spain, the same causes would draw the direction of the wind more to the south. In this expectation he was not deceived, and by steering this course made his passage in three days ; while the Desiree frigate from Ports- mouth, and a packet from Falmouth, which sailed from those ports on the same day on which he had left Plymouth, were, the former seven days, and the lat*,er ten days, later in their arrival at Passages. These vessels had pursued their course far to the westward, and made the coast of Spain near St. Andero, and consequently encountered much bad weather on their voyage. " I acted in this case," he farther says, " from the dictates of much experience, and I was confirmed in my opinion by some judicious observations made by Sir Harry Neale, when we were serving together under Sir Charles Pole, in Basque Roads, in 1799. The tendency of his observa- tions, the truth of which I have proved, was that if, on the west coast of France, or the west coast of any other land lying nearly in the direction of north and south, the barometer keeps high, and the thermometer low, you may expect a con- tinuance of the wind off the land. If the barometer fall, and the thermometer continue still low, you may expect liad weather, but with the wind still blowing fro)n the laud. On the contrary, if the barometer fall, and the thermometer rise, you may conclude that bad weather is likely to follow, with the wind to the west, or south west. In the one case the navigator will naturally keep near the shore for the sake of smooth water, and in the other gain an oflSng as soon as possible, aud while the wind enables him to do so. Long observation alone can teach the intermediate probable changes ; but close attention to the barometer and thermometer toge- --.=a*-.a««w:-,«* -«iw«»l.-'&-^v 172 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. ther (and if assisted by an hygrometer, so much the better), will inspire a confidence which may at times be eminently useful." In Admiral Penrose's account of his voyage to Tunis in 181fi, it is observed, that "it was not the quicker in con- sequence of my friend carrying as great a press of sail as the ships would bear — not such a proportion as would enable them to beat fastest to windward. Many a yard and mast are sprung needlessly, from a sort of pride in carrying sail, or from ignorance that the ship is to be thought of as well as the masts. There was a little schooner in company, which had been converted from a very indifferent gun-boat into a sort of tender; and this little vessel, of about 30 feet keel at the utmost, made better weather than any of the line-of-battle ships, keeping way easy to windward under trysails, whilst we were labouring under courses and close-reefed topi^tils. Now it is clear that if this little vessel had pressed all sail, she would very soon have been to leeward, and astern of all the ships. " One hint more to a brother sailor. A very experienced mate, who commanded the Wellington, assured me that he had been several times in such weather that she would in- evitably have gone to the bottom if it had not been for the protection afforded by a projecting prow and goose stern, similar to the polacres and other vessels of the country." To these notices it may here be added, that the introduc- tion of an improved code of signals into the navy was an object which, during all the early portion of his professional life. Admiral Penrose had greatly at heart. In 1789 he sub- mitted to the Admiralty a very elaborate volume on this sub- ject, which he had drawn up. The history, both of the ori- gin of this volume and of its absorption, shall here be copied from a memorandum left by the Admiral himself. NOTE I. 173 " In 1781," he says, " I was on board a Swedish frigate in a port of Norway, where I first saw the scientific system of the French signals. Those had been introduced by French officers into the Swedish marine, and the comprehensive sim- plicity of this system struck me in a moment. I formed a code for the government of the little squadron then under Capt. Murray's command (adopting the numerary system, in- stead of the tabular plan of superior and inferior flags, which was at that time in general use). But, strange as it seems, I could persuade only my own captain, tha*, the simplest combinations in the world could be ever understood. How- ever, as soon as I was on half-pay in 1783, I began to arrange my materials, and formed a code exactly on the same prin- ciple and practice as that now in use. In 1789 I made a fair copy, and had it handsomely bound. In the following year, being led to London by the Spanish armament, I had the honour of presenting this copy to Lord Chatham, who was then first Lord of the Admiralty, and who received it • as a mark of my zeal for the service, and attention to himself.'" This is all which the author ever heard of the fate or fortune of his book ; but he had the gratification of finding some expressions copied from it, in the code of signals issued from the Admiralty in 1799, and an invention of his own introduced for public use in the same code. It is obser\'ed, in the same memorandum, " that the naval signals in use at the time when the French joined America against us in 1778, were those compiled by James II., when Duke of York ; and it is but justice to remark, that they dis- played a very considerable degree of nautical skill, and must, at the time when they were first issued, have been a very superior code of tactics, highly creditable to their royal author, who was indeed a much better admiral than he proved to be a monarch. About the period here mentioned, the defects of this ancient code became evident, and the more so as the French had already formed a scientific system, which has re-: :=«».^.««Kt.a«i*fc«..;.«.; -., -:^mSl^SmL^'' 90"^"^^ wm 174 UFK OF ADMIRAL I'ENnoSK. quired little alteration to the present day. Each British ad- miral then made improvements on the old plan, nutted to the pec-itiar service he was on ; and as all these changes required new ilugs, and as these at that time were made of a large size, the expense became so enormous that the late Lord Barham asserted, when be was comptroller of the navy, that the flags issued to the fleet were ns expensive as the sails. Lord Howe first formed a regular code deserving any notice. I believe," adds the Admiral, " that I possess a nearly com- plete series of everj' change, from Jameb IL to the present day, and it is sufficiently curious." Note K. p. 136. LETTERS FROM HIS SHIP's COMPANY, IN 1707. The first of the two following lettei's vms sent to Capt. Penrose by his ship's company, the day after he had given up his command ; the second on their receiving, through their new captain, the thanks of the Lords of the Admiralty for their steadiness throughout the mutiny. Letter 1. " Till the last hour. " HONODRED CAPTAIN, " Be pleased, sir, to accept these few lines as a token of our respect for you, and also of our regret for the loss of such a captain, who has always proved to us a good friend and coun- sellor, who has often showed us the good intent of his heart by the lenity served to many of us whom he might have justly [punished]. This much of your character we shall never forget. It is with no small concern that we see the respect you have for us, and we believe that every man of us has been very sensibly twitched by it, and inclined to inform you that the respect you have for us is not lost for want of a return of the same sort. Especially since wu have experienced such a continuance of youi regard for us, as we are certain that had anything particular happened many of us while you had the f.ifl NOTE K. 175 honour to command the Resolution, should have been led to petition your favour and protection. And as to our own good fortune of late, in remaining quieter than many other ships' companies, you may in a great measure impute it to your own good management ; for with us, the ship's company, you have always used your authority only with prudence and cau- tion, which we '11 impute as the great means of our being kept from taking such unguarded steps that many of our brethren, though unawares, have been shamefully led into, so that thanks and praise of the ship's company, that you are pleased to confer upon us, is originally due to you ; and we must say what we believe, that the want of such good fortune in many ships in the carriage of their captain and officers has ruined many. Honoured Captain, we do not intend, as it would be endless, to mention all your good offices, and every particular instance of your regard for us, but only that you might be well assured of our sense of your goodness, and you may well take the liberty to say that you were much — add if you please, deservedly — esteemed by the ship's company, which is sorry for your departure. We only remain with a hearty wish to God, that you might soon regain your wonted state of health, and 80 bid you a friendly farewell, &c. Honoured Capt. Penrose, from yours, " The Cleopatra's Ship's Company. " By desire of all." Letter 2. " Aug. 18. " CAPT. CHARLES PENROSE. '• HONOURED SIR, " Please to forgive the liberties taken in these few lines more, that are wholly prompted through a grateful sense of your continued favours to us, the like of which to our know- ledge has had but few equals. You have not only during your time with us piloted us clear of the troubles which many have unthinkingly slipped into, but you have raised in our favour IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I Its ^1^ 1^ B m 12.2 -Hi 1.25 1 1.4 1 1.6 • ^ ^ 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corooration 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 •4 # L1>^ \ N> %^ ' U^ \ sss <^ '«?) 9^ \ O^ ^ «^ miffmmmmm 176 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE.] what is most highly prized by rich and poor, namely, a good! name and character, and that in such a public and honourable manner, that none less than the rulers and patrons of our country, at least of the maritime line, have acknowledged the approbation of our conduct in a letter sent by them, that was read for our and others' encouragement ; and we heartily wish that it may have, namely, we believe your intended, at least your desired effect, with adding that of our own, &c., that it might raise a laudable ambition within all of us, and that we may strive to retain what we have at present got, although we are not conscious of so much deserving it from any part of our own conduct, but are wholly inclined to impute it in par- ticular to your own good management, through your cautious authority over us, and with that of your, or rather our, officers, for we have always accounted ourselves very fortunate in that respect when we have dompared our own with those of many other ships ; thus far by report, our own by experience. But we will now, with submission to your judgment, men- tion one circumstance that may perhaps parily account for that rash step we had like to have set an unwary foot in, which your prudence prevented by your reasonable and recon- ciliatory expressions; which, however, was by a report on board, which was too freely credited as well as spread, that there was an intreducive letter of direction and information sent us by the delegates of the grand fleet, whilst we lay at St. Helens, which we had not received. This, and other un- known reasons to most, if not all of us, had like to have led us aside at that time; but we still hope and trust to remain in our usual state of unity, and attention to our officers and duty, &c. ; especially when we consider what ad- vantages we already have, and what a little care may keep, that has arose from the good name that you in particular, and also our other captains during their time with us this war, have been pleased to confer on us ; and we could heartily wish that such advantages might be leading motives for our NOTE K. 177 ^' greater diligence and care, and that no shipmate may think them but trifling, or unworthy of their endeavours to keep, since we have had the good fortune to attain them. It would also show our holding what none of us are ashamed to confess we profess for you. We might hero say, as far as our own ex- perience, that we thought the like was not to be seen in the service, considering the necessary distinctions in it which \t requires ; and we believe there has been but very few in- stances of captains' and crews' greater respect for each other within the navy, or otherwise. And we are rather afraid of the freedom of our expressions being beyond prudence, con- sidering the distant line of life that we are severally placed in. But, if we might use the expression, love will make free; but we hope not so far but you may stoop to listen to the dis- interested voice of simple and honest gratitude, which has sprung from a sense of continued favours, &c. Our well wishes, sir, in your favour are many, but all we can give you is a good name, with a feeling sense thereof in our expres- sions of it. And now, sir, we rest satisfied that you, or any one of your penetration, will overlook any unbecoming ex- pressions that may have dropped inadvertently, either from the want of abilities, or the cultivation of such as they be, as at best they are only hammered out of a narrow conception and a faulty memory, whilst we put our wits to the rack, for want of natural acquirements. You can see, sir, from these few lines, what is meant, as we thought ourselves wanting had we neglected to express our reasonable thanks for your late favours. Whatever our wishes be, we shall say no more at present, but wish to recommend you in our prayers to God's favour and protection, and that you may soon acquire a better state of health, if so be his will. Thus much by the request of the ship's company, whilst we remain yours, with respect, honoured sir, '* The Ship's Company. " Falmouth." N 178 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. [It should be added that though these letters are too va- luable in themselves, too illustrative of 'what human nature always is, and too honourable to Capt. Penrose to be here omitted, he himself was always eager to vindicate for his brother officers at large a full share of all the merits thus kindly and gratefully assigned to his own conduct. He took many and various opportunities of repelling, and even with indignation, the charges circulated at the time of the mutiny that it was the fault of the officers ; and, on receiving the Ad- miralty order of June 3, 1797, which seemed to him to convey an imputation to that effect, he wrote, though he never sent, a most keen remonstrance in answer to it. In this remonstrance he affirms " the entire falsehood of all such surmises, in all their parts," and even demands a public disavowal of them.] Note L. p. 139. MB. BITCHIE AND CAPT. LYON. " About this time," says Admiral Penrose in his journal, " I was led to expect Mr. Kitchie, and in August [1818], this very interesting young man made his appearance. He was evidently unequal to the task, and he had taken injudicious means to qualify himself. Knowing that he was likely to un- dergo great privations, he began to practise such in the midst of plenty, thus depriving himself of strength, when it was requisite that he should become strong. He had also been ill advised respecting the articles which" he was to purchase with the very poor allowance made him for his outfit and first year's expenditure, which was so small that I am afraid to say what my memory seems to state it at. I had much satisfac- tion in doing all I could to add to his comforts, and to prepare a friendly reception for him from the Bashaw of Tripoli. I had had a long correspondence on the subject with our Consul, and had endeavoured to force it into the head of the Bashaw that we really esteemed an increase of geographical knowledge an ob- NOTE L. 179 ject of consequence. Amongst other things I ordered from London the last and hest map of Africa, with all preceding journeys laid down, in order to show how little we had yet learned of the interior of the Continent. The Bashaw was hugely pleased with my present, hut it is only honest to inform my reader that the wonders of the spring mounting were the most powerful attraction. The Consul was obliged to display the wonders of the sudden roll up without hands, many times and oft. " Sir Sydney Smith interested himself greatly about the suc- cess of this mission, and sent me for Mr. Eitchie many little articles which he thought would gain him friends among the Moors ; and, among ethers, several sentences from the Koran, enjoining kindness towards Christians, which were neatly written and inclosed in glass. But the most curious part of this sanguine man's proposals or plans was a method for crossing or removing from place to place on the Niger, and on the great lake into which it was thought its waters spread themselves. Will it be believed that this man of so much experience should have recommended a raft or floating ma- chine which would require as much timber and as many casks as would suffice to build and store a sloop of war ! How Mr. Ritchie was to convey the materials with him, and form them out of sand, v e were not instructed. *' One of the most extraordinary events which arose out of Mr. Ritchie's coming among us, was the desire implanted in the somewhat versatile mind of my lieutenant, George Lyon, to partake his dangers, and share the honours. He had been charmed by Mr. Ritchie's detail of what he was going to do, and he longed to cross the burning sands, to chase ostriches, and ride upon dromedaries. Mr. Ritchie first sounded me on the subject, and I then told him that Lyon was old enough to speak for himself; but this he had some difficulty in bringing himself to do. When he had roused his courage to the proper height, I questioned him as to his determination, and advised N 2 180 LIFE OF ADMIRAL PENROSE. him to weigh the matter well, and at the same time told him that I would on no account permit him to proceed without the permission of his father and mother ; and I wrote to the Admiralty an official letter to be presented by the father him- self if he approved, or to be cancelled if he did not. I was resolved not to have the responsibility of sending any man's son on such an expedition to answer for. To my surprise, the permission, both domestic and official, was soon given, and Lyon followed Mr. Ritchie, who had been a short time at Tripoli when Lyon's leave arrived. " These young men began unwisely by adopting all the out- ward appearances and habits of Moors. They should have gone as British Christians, or not at all. Buoyant spirits and good temper carried Lyon through the perils and deprivations under which poor Ritchie sunk, and his natural expressions of good feeling did him great honour when he told his adven- turous tale." I r! LIFE or CAPTAIN JAMES TKEVENEN, KNIOHT OP THE RtTSSIAN ORDERa OF ST. OEORQE AND ST. TUDIHIB. ^^ *.v, JAuyu. J%U >A^k.iaiuAi« <> f w AUin^ham Ilnni M Jl M.Hanhail In?)' (CiiiPir^^nK jj£Mis irmES?]EFfigi^ , ^'^ TT' ?"* ^^^1« 1» . My,. - - ' i'^' ' ' T.r / ■ ■ * ■' ^-fc' ■■ ■■.'-. ■ ■. .. «, ■ ;/ \i '• : LIFE or CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. CHAPTER I. FROM HIS BIHTH TO HIS RETURN IN 1780 FROM THE VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD WITH CAPTAIN COOK. James Trevenen was third son and fifth child of the Rev. John Trevenen*, of Rosewarne, in Cornwall, and was born at Rosewarne, January 1, 1760. He was placed at an early age at the Grammar-school at Helston, and was removed to the Royal Academy at Portsmouth, in 1773. He was there remarked as a boy of great generosity of character, eager and active in all plays and exer- cises, and excelling in most of them. He was a favourite with the masters, and, though a boy of high spirit, never incurred any punishment during his stay in the school. He worked so diligently C je plan of mathematical and nautical learning wnich is the formulary of the place, as to finish it * See Qote A at the end of the volume. r«j w^ N w 184 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. several months within the allotted time. It was also remarked of him that he never became in- volved in any quarrel with his schoolfellows. One instance of his presence of mind and alacrity is recorded as follows by his dear friend, and after- wards brother-in-law, Charles Penrose, who was at this time his fellow-student in the academy. "We were learning to swim together, and after some greater efforts than usual had retired to dress ; but feeling a desire of another swim, I pushed for a large mast employed in confining floating timber; when, by ceasing my stroke too soon, I missed my intended grasp, and by the retiring tide was drawn under the immense mass of wood. Half dressed as he was, Trevenen, observing me sink, instantly swam across the pond to my assistance, which he could only afford me by holding by the extreme of his fingers, and sinking his head under water, when his feet just reached my neck. Grasping me in this manner, he drew me by degrees above water, almost gone beyond the power of his friendly efforts by chafings, &c., &c., to recover." The boyish letters of Trevenen, which have been preserved, are written with the greatest possible unreserve, and are highly principled and full of observation, and show also that he very soon be- gan to look at his profession as his first object of life, and as a pursuit from which it was not in his nature to be diverted. In the year 1775, |k ■«p". PORTSMOUTH ACADEMY, 1775. 186 when the Resolution and Discovery were fitting for Cook's last voyage round the world, his natural ardour led him to desire to go on this expedition. His first mention to his family of this desire is in a letter to one of his brothers, of the date of Sep- tember 5 of this year, in which he expresses his wish to have his parents' consent to his so doing. " It will," he says, " be an excellent breaking-in for me. I shall experience all climates, hot and cold, to an extremity, and consequently, shall al- ways be prepared for any other station whatever." And again, in a subsequent letter of October 5, " I have spoken to Mr. Witchell [the then first master in the academy] about my going out in the Resolution. He said he had no objection in the least, but that it was a very hard voyage. That I knew before." Accordingly, early in 1776, he was discharged from the academy, and partly through the kind in- troductions given him by Mr. Buller, then one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and by Captain Wallis, of Falmouth, was appointed to the Resolution as volunteer. Youths in this station become entitled only to able seamen's pay, but wear the uniform and do the duty, and are looked on as the first to receive the rating, of midshipmen as vacancies occur. Trevenen's joyous feeling on receiving this appointment, bursts out strongly in a letter of the date of June 1776, in which he refers to m / • lip. 186 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. Polycrates' distrust of his uninterrupted course of prosperity and his sacrifice of the ring: conchiding his letter, however, with saying — ' I shall make no such sacrifice, but hope the best and be prepared for the worst." The Resoluticm sailed from Plymouth July 12, 1776, and the young sailor WTites from Teneriffe the following brief note to his mother : — "Honoured Mother, " I have only time to tell you that I am well and happy. I don't believe I have ano- ther moment to express what I would tell you, my dear mother ; only I knew you would be happy to hear from me. 1 am going ashore : we sail this afternoon. I am, and ever shall be, " Your dutiful Son, " James Trevenen. " Remember I am happy. " Love to everybody." A subsequent letter, dated from the Cape of Good Hope, was the only communication which his friends received, or could receive, from their absent sailor, till he again wrote to them nearly four years afterwards, also from the Cape. Of the particular events of the voyage, of which the whole history has been excellently given by Cook and King, little if anything remains to be collected from the subsidiary remarks made by -'-/ RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 187 Treveneii. It is, however, somewhat amusing to meet with the account of a seaman saved from drowning " by a machine called a life buoy, cut away as soon as he fell off the deck. After re- maining an hour in the sea he was picked up," it is further said, " by a boat directed to him by the ringing of a bell on the top of the machine." This sentence is among the marginal notices made in a copy of the published work. From these notices the following passages may also be ex- tracted : — In a note on vol. ii. p. 182, it is added to the account of the method of catching turtle at Christmas Island that, " besides turning the turtle when asleep, the common mode of catching them, we took them another way, which afforded great sport. On the tide subsiding there remained about a foot of water (more or less) on the reef, which extended half a mile from the shore, where it is bounded by another ridge. But there were many deep holes, where the turtles used to re- main till the rising of the water again. The water was so clear that we could see them in these holes; and as all our people could swim to perfection, they could dive down and catch them by the fins, or pull them out ; and then the chase and sport began, we, as well as the turtles, dashing through thick and thin, and very ludicrous scenes occurred. In deep water they had the advantage ; but when i 188 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. it was not deeper than six inches, we could come up with them, and catch them by the fins; but as one had often not strength enough to hold them, he would be dragged sometimes up, some- times down, till others came to his assistance. On meeting with a large pool, into which the sailor would be di-agged head foremost, perhaps the turtle would escape; and I have seen some larger than common thus taken three times, and at last escape through a passage in the reef to the open sea. This chase was chequered with all the vicissitudes of hope and fear that can enliven any other, and was surely equally interesting — the more so, perhaps, as our dinner depended on the success of it. We once caught forty-two in half an hour." In vol. ii. p. 306, it is observed of the native Americans of Nootka Sound, that, " in the im- portant operation of painting their faces, they make use of a piece of polished slate, which, when dipped in water, is a tolerable substitute for a looking-glass, and serves them in its stead, I have seen them discontented with the first and sometimes with the second attempt, and, after rubbing all their faces, begin again. A ground of grease and red ochre is first laid on, then the iron-sand, or glimmer, and the rest of the opera- tion is perfoi-med by the finger before the wet slate." RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 189 In speaking of the Sandwich islanders, and of the events which preceded and followed the death of Cook, everything contained in these notices confirms the belief that the natural and habitual disposition of these islanders was friendly and humane; and that the attack made on our great navigator may have arisen from some misappre- hension, of which the cause cannot now, and pro- bably never could be, explained, or was at the worst a sudden outbreak. " A constant exchange," it is said, " of good offices, and little acts of friend- ship obtained amongst us. I had once occasion to experience the good effects of it, where the assistance received seemed to flow entirely from a desire to be of service to those who wanted it, without any view to interest. Having occasion, with two other midshipmen, to go off to the ship at night, through a considerable surf, the canoe we had engaged filled and sunk about twenty yards from the shore, to which we had to swim, and land on a rocky beach difficult of access. Some little children playing near the spot had observed us ; and whilst one or two ran to the houses close by for better assistance, the rest came down to us crying, and, leaning over the rock, reached out their little hands to endeavour to help us out of it. They afterwards conducted us to the village, run- ning by our side, and uttering the most endearing expressions of pity and concern. We were equally I » 190 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. well received at the village : another large canoe was immediately launched, and we were conveyed to the ship in safety, without any demand what- ever for pay or reward." To the same effect it is stated in a note, p. 76, with respect to an Indian, who had heen taken prisoner and brought on board, and who, after having been well terrified by the thought that he should be put to death, had been set at liberty: " When first unbound and set at liberty he put no trust in it, but sat silent, and totally disregard- ing everything and every person, till at last, being repeatedly assured of his safety, he began to raise his head and look around him ; but the mingled emotions of hope and fear were strongly depicted in his countenance. By degrees he crept towards the gangway, and at last, seeing to a certainty that nobody stopped him, he returned quick as light- ning, and threw himself with rapture at the feet of the officer upon deck, embracing his knees with the most lively demonstrations of joy and gratitude. Then flying away again he went on shore, and in a little time returned with a canoe full of provisions, and was very useful afterwards. " The man who stabbed Captain Cook was, according to the best accounts of such a sudden and confused transaction, an old chief, whom Captain Cook himself had kicked out of the ship the day before, with many expressions of anger, ji I RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 191 for having committed a theft. He was shot dead immediately by John Perkins, a marine from the boats." " The five gentlemen veho were in the boat," i.e.i in the small cutter mentioned vol. iii. p. 54, " were Lanyon, Ward, Taylor, Charlton, Trevenen. Although we had not seen Captain Cook in the other boats when they pulled off to the ships, and now saw the dead bodies lying on the beach, we did not think of Captain Cook's being killed ; therefore we also pulled off. The fact is, that I, as well as the others, had been so used to look up to him as our good genius, our safe conductor, and as a kind of superior being, that I could not suffer myself, I co ild not dare^ to think he could fall by the hands of the Indians, over whose minds and bodies he had been used to rule with absolute sway." On the mention of the chief brandishing Capt. Cook's hanger, p. 65, it is said, " I saw this from one of the boats which was scarce more than ten yards from the man. The hanger was bloody: he washed it in the sea, and told us that he had been cutting up the body of our chief, and that if we came on shore he would serve us in the same manner. " By the light of the fires we could plainly see the Indians in motion about them ; and this sight, joined to the stillness of the night, produced the 192 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. most awful solemnity, now and then interrupted by their hideous cries and yellings, and made great impression on our already agitated feelings." Note to p. 75. " The heads had been (before they were carried on board) stuck on poles, and waved to the crowd of Indians assembled on the hills about half a mile oif. A cry of horror and an involuntary motion or starting back was in- stantly observed amongst them; and, coupled with the instances which we had observed of their ex- posing themselves to carry off the dead bodies of their friends, served to convince us that they have some superstitious notions with regard to the de- pendence of their condition after death on their being interred with proper ceremonies." On the death of Captain Gierke, Trevenen removed with Captain King into the Discovery, and returned in that ship to England, arriving at the Nore, after a long detention at Stromness, in Orkney, on the 4th of October, 1780. At the conclusion of this long voyage. Captain King, on the presumption that the midshipmen employed in it would, on their return home, obtain their lieutenantcies, invited Trevenen to serve under him in his next ship. This kind invitation his young friend gladly accepted ; and it will be seen in the next chapter, that he became a lieutenant to this excellent officer in the Resistmice, and subsequently that they went abroad together after the peace, RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 193 and that Trevenen continued with him till his death at Nice, in 1784. The assistance ren- dered by Trevenen in the astronomical observa- tions and calculations, made during the voyage round the world, is recognised in the volume of King's continuation. During that long voyage, the common and try- ing service in which they were engaged cemented strongly Trevenen's early friendship with his friend Ward, who had also been his fellow-student at the Portsmouth academy, and with whom he kept up a close intimacy through after-life. Riou, after- wards so well known for his resolute conduct in the Guardian^ was another of the midshipmen who were employed on this expedition. The remark- able history of the wreck of the Guardian became afterwards known to Trevenen when in Russia, in 1790, a very few months only before his death; and he on this occasion speaks of him as follows, in one of his letters: "He is one of the finest, handsomest, best made, strongest, honestest, cle- verest, and noblest fellows that ever old England produced ; and the whole of his conduct exhibits the very man, such as I have known him from a child." Another was Hergest, a friend who, if the subsequently-intended expedition to north-west America had been carried out, would have joined him in it. Another was Samwell, who was first surgeon's mate, and afterwards surgeon, the author o 194 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JAMES TEEVENEN. H of an account of Captain Cook's death, with which Trevenen was on the whole well satisfied, and which he earnestly recommended to all his friends, and which he requested them to bind up with their copies of the voyage. Mr. Samwell afterwards performed a last act of friendship for Trevenen himself, by drawing up, after his death, a short notice of his life, which was inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine for August, 1790. Tre- venen was accustomed to speak also of Lieut. Burney, afterwards Capt. James Burney, in most kindly terms. To Cook himself, Trevenen in common, it is believed, with all who ever served under him, always looked up both with respect and affection. The power of mind, and the unwearied assiduity of that great navigator, gave him an ascendancy which neither his severity of character, nor the passions into which ho frequently threw himself on the slightest occasions, could overbear. These passions were often very vehement. It was a common saying among both officers and men, " that the old boy had been tipping a heiva to such a one." The heiva was the name of one of the dances of the southern islanders, to which Cook's violent motions and stampings on deck in his paroxysms often bore a great resemblance. But still his real ascendancy of character and ability was never forgotten. The history of his RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 195 last voyage was, down nearly to the period of his death, written by himself, and comprises the two first volumes of the complete work. "The coolness and conciseness," says Trevenen, speak- ing of these two volumes, " with which he passes over the relation of the dangers which he encoun- tered is very remarkable. These imminent dangers and hairbreadth escapes would, in other hands, have afforded subject for many laboured and dreadful descriptions, and would even have justified them. The want of such may make him lose the credit of having avoided or surmounted them. But he who once revolves in his mind the immense extent of coast that Capt. Cook has in this voyage surveyed; the earliness of the season when he began it, and the advanced state of it when he left off — the badness of the provisions, which had been already three years from England — the intricacies of the coast, the islets, rocks, and shoals, that would make when well known the boldest pilot tremble to venture on it — the length of time which his crew remained in, and bore with, the consequent fetigue of such uncommon and accumulated sub- jects of distress, passed among rocks and fields of ice, in thick fogs, with the entire privation of fresh meat, and such necessary comforts as alone can render men capable of undergoing extreme hard- ships, with the allowed hazard of navigating among ice — must wonder at and admire both his boldness o 2 196 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. of daring and skill in executing. But, an his mind was impressed with the thoughts of duty and the grand consequence of his undertaking, no danger or difficulty had the power of turning away his attention from this object." A somewhat less grave picture is given in a note to p. 279. " I, with several other of our midshipmen, attended Captain Cook in this ex- pedition, in which we rowed him not less than thirty miles during the day. We were fond of such excursions, although the labour of them was very great, as not only this kind of duty was more agreeable than the routine on board the ships, but it was also another very principal considera- tion, that we were sure of having plenty to eat and drink, which was not always the case on board on our usual allowance. Capt. Cook also, on these occasions, would sometimes relax from his almost constant severity of disposition, and even descended now and then to converse familiarly with us, but it was only for a time." Trevenen had before said, in one of his private letters to his family, in which he describes his cabin in the Crocodile, " Right against me stands Capt. Cook, like the knight of the woful coun- tenance, and pointing to a map of the South Sea." " Aye, aye, old boy, I remember all very well, especially the many hungry hours I have experienced while you lived in clover." Again, RESOLUTION AND DISrOVERY, 1770-1780. 197 ill a book of scrapM which sevim to have been written as late as 1787 : O genius superior, in forming whom, nature Had an eye to the mouhling a great navigator, And though toward thy mids thou wert not very nice. Declaring thou'dst have " no more cats than catch mice," " Not here do you come to see fashions, or folly, but " To hold on the nippers, and row in the jolly-boat ; " And though still thou wouldst send me, when by the wind steering, To haul out the weather mizen topsail reef earing, Yet not now I'll remember thy wholesome severity. Or remember 'twas meant but to give me dexterity. No ! rather I'll think on that happier season, When tum'd into thy boat's crew without rhyme or reason, But proud of that office, we went a marooning, And pulling 'gainst tide, or before the wind spooning. Sometimes we were shooting and sometimes surveying, With pleasure still watching, with pleasure obeying, Till pleased with our efforts, thy features relax. And thou giv'st us thy game to take home on our backs. O day of hard labour, O day of good living, When TooTEE was seized with the humour of giving — When he clothed in good nature his looks of authority. And shook from his eyebrows their stern superiority. The two ships, the Resolution and the Discovery^ reached the Cape on their return home in May, 1780, and had a tedious voyage thence to England, going round by, and being long detained in Orkney. They arrived at the Nore, October 4. Trevenen's letters to his friends, while in suspense 1 1 198 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. as to what the events might have been of the long period during which he had not heard of them, are of the most touching tenderness. He regrets especially that he could not have landed at Falmouth, where he might have heard of their welfare : " for otherwise," he adds, " I did not dare to think;" and expresses an anxiety on account of his friend Penrose, whose name he had not found in the list of lieutenants which he had seen at the Cape. But it will show sufficiently the unchanged and unchanging affectionateness of Trevenen's character to place here in juxta- position the two letters which he wrote to his mother from the Cape : the one written on his arrival there in 1776, on the outward voyage; the second on his return in 1780. II " Table Bay, October 23, 1776. "My DEAR Mother, "A letter from James! O my dear crea- tures, how eager I see you to break the seal! Be happy then ! for I know that it will make you so to hear that I am well, and that I like the sea as well as ever. What a great pleasure it would be to me to hear from you whom I so tenderly love ! But I must content myself my old way at the academy : viz., thinking of the pleasures of meeting, and I have now more RESOLUTION AND DI8C0VEBY, 1776-1780. 199 occasion than ever. There I heard from you every fortnight ; now I am quite in the dark with regard to your health, and everything concerning you ; but I will always hope the best. " While at sea, I often used to hold conversation with you; and in the dead of night during my watch upon deck, while others used to be variously engaged, and trying different ways to amuse them- selves, I used to seek some comer where I was least likely to be disturbed ; and, retiring within myself, was soon at Rosewarne. Often, when thinking of you, the pearly drop would steal silently down my cheek, and at last I should melt into tears ; but they were not the tears of sorrow, they were tears of gratitude for your tenderness and love to me ; and I was quite happy at the time when, had you seen me, you would have taken me to be the most miserable person in the world. In general, I have the greatest spirits, and am remarked for it ; but so great is the contrariety, that I am most happy when I appear least so. Indeed I am never otherwise than happy ; but there are a thousand pleasures I perceive when I am thinking of you, which at other times I am a stranger to. How heartily do I pity those rough sailors, of whom we have many aboard, who have no notion of sen-r sibility, and who laugh at those persons who show ./:i 200 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. any tenderness for tbeir relations, or who cannot drink as much grog as themselves. They are strangers to those feelings which constitute my summum hwiumr " Cape of Good Hope, May, 1780. " My most REVERED M OTHER, " An address to a mother after so long an absence, and entire ignorance of what may have befallen at home, is a circumstance altogether so new to me that I find myself at a loss how to behave. The darkness and uncertainty with regard to events the most interesting cannot fail to give a serious turn to my thoughts, and I tremble with apprehension. On the other hand, when I recollect that I have once more a dawn of happiness breaking upon me — that I am once more in a fair way to see and converse with all I hold dear — the tide of joy is so tumultuous as to render me equally unfit to express my sentiments. But I feel myself already excused by you for not being more full, when I tell you that at least in a fortnight after your re- ceipt of this, I hope to be in your embraces. Good God ! the thought is too much. Far, far away, my eyes and steps have been directed from you, but my thoughts never. You still con- RESOLUTION AND DISCOVERY, 1776-1780. 201 stituted my chief happiness amidst all the bustle and variety of sea life. I have written many a long letter to you, though I knew it could never be delivered; but it relieved my mind after the variety of business I had been engaged in — was indeed my most pleasing occupation ; gave me a gleam of joy that helped to dissipate the gloom around me, and whenever I was melancholy proved a never-failing consolation." In another letter written in the same spirit during his tedious delay at Stromness, but before he could have any intelligence from his family, he says that he fears that his letter exceeds the bounds of reason and savours of novel writing. " But I care not," he adds, " for criticism. It is the warmth of affection dictates my pen and will be obeyed. I hope you are not tired, but really I can think of nothing else." It is even now almost mortifying to reflect that this suspense was prolonged, though but for a few days, T)y his very narrowly missing his friend Pen- rose while on the voyage from Orkney to the Nore. Penrose had then recently been made lieutenant of the Cleopatra, and was cruising on the coast of Scotland ; and in the course of this cruise had, during a thick fog, boarded a ship which, not more than an hour before, had been hailed by the Discovert/, which could not then have 202 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. been more than a mile off. But the thickness of the weather cruelly prevented the actual meeting of the two friends, and delayed to Trevenen's longings the knowledge of that satisfactory report of family history which his friend could have given. CHAPTER II. FROM HIS RETTTRN TO ENGLAND TO HIS BROTHER MATTHEWS DEATH IN 1785. Soon after Trevenen's arrival at the Nore, his anxiety to renew his intercourse with his much- loved family was partially satisfied by a visit from his brother Thomas, then a student at Cambridge. He himself, in common with the other midship- men who had been engaged in the arduous ser- vice of the voyage round the world, was promoted, apparently as a matter of course, to the rank of lieutenant, and on or about October 30, was ap- pointed fourth-lieutenant of the Conquestador^ then guard-ship at the Nore. He was greatly elated by this change from what he at this time calls the lowest state of wretchedness to a decent station in life. This appointment, indeed, to a guard-ship could not be in itself a gratifying ap- pointment to an active-minded young officer in time of war ; but it was intended to insure his being in the way whenever his friend Captain King 204 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. should obtain a command. It was also an ap- pointment which allowed him after a time to obtain leave of absence to go into Cornwall, where he went in November. In January, 1781, he returned to the Conquestadm', but soon became heartily tired of the inactive life to which he was doomed, and of what was worse than inaction — the painful duty of pressing seamen from homeward- bound ships. In a letter of this date, he says, " I shall by and by exclaim with Cloten, in Lear, that every Jack-fool can have a belly full of fighting, while I must look on." In the month of April following, he had, however, the pleasure of getting freed from the guard-ship, and of being appointed to the Crocodile, of 24 guns, then fitting out, under Captain King. The Crocodile, on being ready for sea, was in the first place ordered to the Downs, and afterwards joined for a time the squadron off the Dutch coast under Lord Mulgrave. During the remainder of the summer she was engaged in cruising with the grand fleet in the Channel, and v/as then ordered to Ireland. Throughout the winter, and the early spring of 1782, she was employed in severe ser- vice in the Channel, and in the Irish Sea, and, in March, was ordered once more to the Downs. Captain King here left her. He had been ap- pointed to the command of the Resistanr-i, . f 44 guns, then on the stocks at Deptford, and CROCODILE, 1782. 205 was succeeded in the Crocodile by Captain Albe- marle Bertie. During Captain Bertie's command of the Crocodile, an action took place off Dunkirk with a French privateer of 28 guns, the Prince de Roberg, Captain Vanstabel, the most daring and successful of the enemy's cruisers at that time. The guns of the Crocodile, though of inferior weight of metal, and though her crew, which con- sisted of 160 men, was opposed to 220, were so well served, that in about an hour the fire of the enemy was nearly silenced. But an unfortunate explosion on board the Crocodile created a mo- mentary confusion which obliged Captain Bertie to back his sails, and his opponent escaped. The capture of this privateer would have led to Tre- venen's immediate promotion to a captaincy, and the whole current of his future life would con- sequently have been changed. Soon after this engagement he was appointed first-lieutenant of the Resistance and he joined this ship in July. The first orders to the Resistance were to join a squadron appointed to protect Guernsey and Jersey from an expected invasion. But the alarm respecting these islands subsided, and this ship was then ordered in charge of very valuable convoy to the West Indies. The ordinary route is to run at first to the south, and then, on getting into the trade winds, to steer direct for Barbadoes ; ■I I I i 206 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAME8 TREVENEN. but Captain King had too much reason to trust both to his own skill and that of his lieutenant in working the lunar observations, a task which was at this time often regarded as a sort of recondite science, to feel himself under any need to take this circuitous line, and therefore steered from the first the straight course for his port. This straight course saved in fact the convoy from the enemy, inasmuch as the French who, with their usual good intelligence, had obtained accurate knowledge of its sailing, had dispatched three sail of the line and two frigates, to intercept it on the usual track. The surprise and terror of the masters of the merchant ships on this occasion were, it is said, extreme. They were soon bewildered, and lost all kind of tolerable accuracy in their reckoning. But when at last they found themselves brought exactly to the desired point, nothing could exceed their admiration and astonishment. From Barbadoes the Resistance proceeded to Jamaica, on which station she continued till the close of the war. A small French vessel, the Coquette of 28 guns and 200 men, was captured in an inconsiderable action near Turk's Island, and Trevenen took the command of the prize. An ineffectual attempt was also made by Captain Nelson of the Albemarle, afterwards Lord Nelson, to recapture the island itself. The Resistance took her share in this attempt, but certainly without RESISTANCE, 1782. 207 any approbation of it on the part of her lieutenant, who says, in a letter in which he gives an account of it to his friends, " But the ridiculous expe- dition against Turk's Island, undertaken by a young man merely from the hopes of seeing his name in the papers, ill-digested at first, carried on without a plan, afterwards attempted to be carried into execution rashly because without intelligence, and hastily abandoned at last for the same reason that it ought not to have been undertaken, spoilt all." To see Nelson thus thought of, though only perhaps at a moment of disappointment, in 1782, by a man who might have lived to be one of his warmest admirers, is a remarkable example of the many-sided aspects in which character is often viewed, and in which it exists. This expedition against Turk's Island was among the last acts of the war. On the conclusion of peace the affectionateness of Trevenen's disposition would have brought him instantly home; but, on the other hand, his ardour and activity led him to look eagerly into the future. In a letter written in April or May, 1783, he says to his sister, " Had it been my fate to have sat down during the first years of my life amidst green lields and shady jq;roves, I should have been perfectly contented with my station, nor ever have uttered one sigh for glory." He then argues " that the mind and disposition may receive a bent foreign to its nature, and that^ !»:' ' 208 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. he is sure that he could not be contented with that Icind of life for any moderate time. Whe- ther my happiness," he adds, " is benefited by the change I know not, neither do I know that I ought to care. If I am guided by the Supreme Disposer of events, I am happy to resign myself to him." In this state of feeling, and supposing the peace to be made a little too soon to afford him any chance of early promotion in his own service, he appears to have turned his thoughts, even be- fore he left Jamaica, to a possible seeking of that employment and distinction in Russia of which the door now seemed to be closed on him at home. A war had broken out between that country and Turkey, and (though with some misgiving about the having to fight against the poor Turks) he says in one of his letters of this date, " 1 should not dislike going into the Russian service if I could get a command." But this thought, though it will be seen that it was resumed afterwards, was merely transient at present. His more immediate and decided project was to take the opportunity of being now in the western hemisphere, to make a tour through the new states — states which he saw to be clearly destined for eventual great- ness, and to present great opportunities for obser- vation. Neither yet did he exclude all thought of " becoming himself an American, or to come in himself for a share in raising the structure," or JAMAICA, 1783. 200 with Vhe- y the lat I ireine elf to ig the d him jrvice, en bc- if that ich the home. ;ry and I about he says uld not ; could (Ugh it ds, was nediate •rtunity make lich he great- r obser- hought |o come ire," or forming the navy of the new empire which was about tc arise. A tour, however, was everything of which he thought seriously at this time. " Charles Penrose," he says in one of his letters, " had bet- ter meet me in America. I often think how happy I should be to have him, Ward, and Riou, along with me." This intention, however, was overruled by his being seized with a violent fever, brought on by his having overheated himself while on shore at Port Royal. Captain King, who was at this time on shore, came instantly to see him, and brought with him an old practitioner in these fevers; but the patient was already on the recovery. Trevenen speaks with gratitude of the kindness which he received on this occasion from his countryman, Humphry Cole, then a lieutenant in the 79th Regiment, and encamped in a healthy situation near Port Royal, and who had pressed him to come to the camp for change of air. He speaks also of very kind attentions which had been paid him, while in Jamaica, by Captain Curgenven, of the Protee, 64. He had not long recovered from this illness when his excellent friend, Captain King, found it necessary to return to England on account of his own state of health, which had already for some time been thought precarious, and took his passage home in the Diamond, Captain Rowley., p 210 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. ! I Trevenen, whose own recent illness hail probably abated his zeal for travelling, and who was very unwilling to forsake this most dear friend, pro- cured an exchange into the same ship. The Diamond reached Portsmouth in July, and in the beginning of August was ordered round to Ply- mouth, and paid off. Trevenen then returned to his mother's home at Uosewarne ; and, for a time, seems to have felt no want of any enjoyment not to be found in the tranquillity of a country life, and in the society of his friends. In November he went to London, and subse- quently to Oxford, and thence to Woodstock, on a visit to Captain King, to whom he at this time gave some assistance in correcting the charts published in the voyage of discovery. He then returned in January, 1784, to Rosewarne, vehence he again set out in April, in company with his brother Matthew"*, in a tour to Scotland. The two brothers travelled in a gig, and treasured up very many recollections of the little events of their tour, and of the satisfaction which they found in this method of travelling. They went by London, where they bought their gig, and their horse Swan, a bird, as they often called him, afterwards much petted in the family, and of which the remembrance long survived in it. From London they proceeded through Derbyshire to * See note B at the end of this volume. TOUR IN ENGLAND, 1784. 211 jbably s very 1, pro- , The in the to Ply- rned to a time, ent not itry life, 1 subse- >ck, on a h\s time e charts He then , -whence with his ad. The isured up events of ley found went by and their lied him, and of it. From )yshire to le. York, and thence to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and as fir north as Inverness, and returned by Staifa and Glasgow and the English lakes. From the lakes they went through Liverpool and Man- chester into Nottinghamshire, where they paid a visit to their brother-in-law, the Rev. J. Penrose, at Fledborough, and again to London. There ex- ists a long journal of this tour, full of observation, but without much matter in it worth extracting, unless it deserve mentioning that the "immense" silk mills at Derby, were even at that period, an establishment which excited their attention; and that they did not miss the opportunity of admiring Wright's paintings, which were then exhibited there. At Matlock they met Dean Jebb, who must at ttiis time have been nearly ninety years of age, and who had frequented Mat- lock for his health about sixty years. " I never saw," says Trevenen," "such advanced age and such spirits united. His unexpected flow of good humour delighted, and his excellent understanding instructed, every one : he was the life of the com- pany, and evinced manners as agreeable, and an intellect as keen, as if he had been in meridian. It was a pleasant thing, and enough to reconcile the most discontented to life, to hear him assert that his last twenty years had been the happiest. Indeed, he seemed to enjoy himself and his com- pany with the highest relish." p 2 asm 212 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. The two Trevenens returned to London at a time when Captain King was very ill, at Mr. Burke's at Beaconsfield. James Trevenen went down there immediately to see him; and found that in the hope (a vain hope, alas !) that his health might yet be restored by passing the coming winter in a warmer climate, he was preparing for a journey to the south of France. His intimate friend. Captain Young, afterwards Sir William Young, had agreed to go with him, and Trevenen now offered to join them. This offer was gladly accepted; and the party left London, September 12, and proceeded together to Nice by Paris and Avignon, and thence by the ordinary route through Aix and Frejus. Captain King died at Nice in the middle of November ; and Trevenen says of him that, " though worn to a shadow by his disorder, he yet exhibited a noble picture of the independence of the soul on the body ; every mental faculty bright and unclouded to the last minute. He might have said with Addison, ' See how a Christian can die.* I have no doubt," he adds, "but that the journey hastened his end. Ecisy as we made it, the fatigue was too great for his weak state, and his decline advanced rapidly from the time of our coming to Nice. He had all along been sensible of his true situation, and never flattered himself with false hopes; yet his cheerfulness scarcely ever left him; and if any- NICE, 1784. 213 at a t Mr. went found health !oming ing for Ltimate V^illiam evenen gladly (tember y Paris y route died at revenen ,dow by iture of every the last n, ' See (ubt," he lis end. reat for rapidly He had ion, and yet his if any- thing could alleviate the melancholy of our situa- tion it was his example." " Dear little man," he says in a subsequent letter, "I shall never see him more — he who has been so much to me so long a time. His gentle spirit is wafted, however, to a better world." And again, " He is gone, and we shall no more see that countenance where the sunshine of innocence, benevolence, and love, was reflected from the clear calm of a heart at ease." After Captain King's death, Trevenen went from Nice to Marseilles and Toulon. He here hesitated for a short time which way he should turn. In one of his letters to his friend Ward he says, "Before I return to England I should like much to go to Grand Cairo." And again, " Perhaps the fate of Europe may determine mine. In case of war, I should much like to engage on one side or other. But how to do it?" Heat at length determined to make a tour in Italy. Mr. Ellison, of Yorkshire, and Captains Vesey and Macartney, were his companions in this tour. They went first by sea from Marseilles to Civita Vecchia, and thence to Romef. Trevenen's memo- randa of his stay at Rome are full of intelligence and observation, but do not afford any remarks which can now be of importance, unless it be of importance in 1849, to see it remarked by him in 1785, that " Pius VI. is disliked by almost all ranks, and that they are altogether tired of eccle- 214 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. siastical goveriiraent." He says elsewhere that " the manner in which we supported the last war against so many powers is regarded as a prodigy ; and more than one Italian has assured me that his countrymen during the whole time were so many English patriots." At Rome Trevenen unfortunately fell ill of a fever; and three days after quitting his hed had the imprudence to set out for Naples. While at Naples he made two efforts to ascend Vesuvius: the first of them by night ; but he was then too weak to go farther than to the burning lava. A day or too afterwards, though still very sick and feverish, he, hy the help of two men, reached the summit. From Naples he returned to Rome, and went from Rome to Florence, and thence to Leghorn. Here his compunions left him and em- barked for Marseilles. He was himself at this time seriously ill of a second fever ; of which, though he got better by slow degrees, he never thoroughly recovered the effects. He from this time became subject to pains in the breast, which were often distressing and even alarming; and a hurrying journey from Leghorn to Venice was thought to have rooted this mischief in his frame. He arrived in Venice in time to witness the ceremony of the Doge's wedding the sea, and stayed there some time, and received very particular attentions on the ground of having been round the world with I' I VENICE, 1785. 215 I that st war odigy ; e that ere so II of a ed had liile at isuvius : aen too Lva. A ick and hed the me, and ence to and em- his time though aroughly hecame re often hurrying aught to arrived of the 3re some itions on orld with ly Cook, and present at his death, and of being supposed by some to be the only officer who had survived the expedition. " I was often obliged," he says, " to bite my tongue that I might not laugh in their faces, at being supposed a man of consequence to the world in general, and at the strange questions sometimes put to me. One lady asked me at what time our voyage took place; for, though older than me, she did not remember our coming to Italy. However, notwithstanding the general ignorance with regard to such matters, which is not to be wondered at, there are many sensible people in Venice who have read Cook's voyages, which are eagerly read pad sought after in Italy with attention, and to such I had real pleasure in explaining the plates, &c." To this passage, which is extracted frcm a letter to his eldest sister, is added a eulogium on the many excellent and agreeable companions with whom he had had the good fortune of falling in on his tour. " I have never yet," he says, " had reason to repent the confidence I have placed in any of them, have always parted with them with regret, and still keep up a correspondence with them. But still," he adds, " they were not Matthew Trevenens. How often have I wished for him on my travels ! How much more so now than ever, because I am going into Switzerland, that delight- ful country, where there are so many things to his sssfiiinaBBBi MmK 216 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. taste, and especially because at last I shall be left alone. I shall lose half the pleasure of my journey in losing the pleasure of participation, and as that must be augmented in proportion to the love we bear the person participating, you will agree that I want Matthew Trevenen." On leaving Venice, Trevenen travelled by the route of Mantua and Verona to Milan, and made afterwards the tour of Switzerland in company with Mr. Sumner, of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, whom he had met at Geneva, and with whom he had previously formed acquaintance in Italy. At Geneva he formed an intimate friendship with M. Pictet. At Lausanne he consulted M. Tissot on the state of his health. M. Tissot satisfied him that his constitution had not received any perma- nent injury, but advised him to abstain for the present from all fatigue either of body or mind, and to pass the winter months in Italy, or in the south of France. And this he probably would have done, but that he felt himself recalled suddenly home by the death of that dear brother whom he loved so well, and for whose society he had so lately expressed his longing desire. Matthew's illness, a most rapid consumption, must have been first made known to his brother in the end of August. There was a momentary thought that he might possibly be advised to try a foreign tour for change of air; and James instantly ROSEWARNE, 1785. 217 be left ourney as that ove we ee that by the id made ompany abridge, horn he ily. At with M. Cissot on iied him penna- for the |or mind, >r in the y would recalled brother society desire, [on, must ter in the thought a foreign instantly \ proffered himself as " his brother's nurse and at- tendant, and to go anywhere with him." Every hope, however, was soon cut short by the rapid progress of the disease. Matthew died October 27, and James's next object was to join the afflicted family circle in Cornwall, and to share its sorrows. He, therefore, immediately on hearing of his brother's death, returned to England^ and reached Rosewarne, December 4. On this sad subject all that remains to be here added is, that he wrote at or about this period of his return to his mother's roof the following verses — verses which some who have seen them in MS. would regret not to see inserted here. They are also verses which will afford proof to every reader that the language of poetry and that of deep and real feeling, when expressed in verse, is one and the same. MONODY ON THE DEATH OP MATTHEW TREVENBN. Why beats my heart ? why burst these rending sighs ? Why seek I more his wonted voice to hear ? No more that pleasing form shall glad.my eyes ; No more his accents charm th' attentive ear. Yet why, if innocent tliy life has pa8t> If to thee every quality was giv'n That leads the sure unerring path to heav'n, Why sorrow we that this day is thy last? 218 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TBEVENEN. Not thee vie grieve, but dare to hope The great Jehovah to a better state, Reward of virtue, hath thy soul transferr'd, And though around thy mortal part, interr'd In earth's cold bosom, to this stroke of fate We sink subdued, and to our tears give scope. Let godlike reason for a moment sway — 'Twere selfish envy more to wish thy stay. Ourselves we mourn, our loss lament, Who, left in wretchedness below. Without thy cheering influence go. And wander in the paths of discontent and woe. By passion's storm our bosoms rent. Reason's mild sway no longer own ; Thy bright example from our eyes withdrawn, Our guiding star's extinct, our path no longer known. Whene'er affliction's shafts our peace invade» Or transient joys the obscur'd prospect clear, In vain we seek thee for thy wonted aid, In vain the momentary bliss would share ; In vain in crowds and noise we seek relief; The mind, unoccupied, still turns to thee. Religion's balm alone can heal our grief; Time's healing hand froto misery set us free. Yet know'st thou, brother, time can ne'er efface Thy much lov'd image from our bleeding hearts ; For, though fell melancholy's train we chase, And in life's busy scene resume our parts ; Though on our fronts mild resignation shine. And cheerfulness relume the clouded scene; Whene'er a serious thought we entertain, Thy virtues form our favourite theme divine. ft : . ROSEWARNE, 1785. 219 Whene'er in evening solitude we stray; Whene'er rejection lifts our thoughts on high ; Whene'er assembled round th' accustom 'd hearth, Which, happier once, now mourns thy parted mirth ; Then flows the silent tear, the half-check'd sigh, Convulsive sobs that would not be reveal'd. Till griefs infectious to each bosom fly, And burst at once, too great to be conceal'd. But not do mournful thoughts alone our time employ. Thy life for other feelings has given place ; The bursts of passion past ; (prepare to joy;) And exultation clears each clouded face : Thy mother dwells with rapture on the theme ; Thy sister's tears awhile give way to bliss ; Thy brothers, emulous in praise, exclaim, " So pass our days, and be our end like his." ts; O friend ! brother ! much-lamented youth, Although thy praise unequal I resign, The friends of virtue will confirm this truth, That scarce a failing, not one vice, was thine. And lo ! already a more skilful muse Has pour'd her plaintive accents o'er thy urn, And does thy virtues for her subject choose. Hers be the lot to praise thee ; mine to mourn. How many favourite schemes with thee I 've plann'd ! How roU'd my years in pleasing vision on ! How many hopes have form'd, and projects scann'd ! But all those projects, all those hopes, are gone. Vain wretch ! to build on such aerial toys ; To let thy wild imagination roam ; Fond man, to sooth thyself in future joys, And feast on fancied happiness to come ! 220 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. No more thy sun of innocence shall dart Its cheerful beam upon th' afflicted mind ; Thy reason's force, by piety refin'd, No more shall lift to hope the sinking heart; But thy example shall with us remain, Thy cherish'd image in our bosoms last, And hold its empire amidst joy or pain, Till life ebb out, and memory be past. And when that king of t 'Tors, Death, Shall call me to resign my breath ; Whether amidst the din of war he come, Or the more dreadful lingering deathbed's gloom ; Tell me but I shall see thy face, And I '11 not shun the fiend's embrace, But willing spurn this world's vain joys and cares ; Whilst hope to meet thy love shall dissipate my fears. Cease we our 'plaint. 'Tis not for mortal man By constant grief to blame th' eternal plan. But thou, for whom her tears unceasing flow. If thou can'st still one earthly passion know, Sweet angel, hear our prayer, And on a sister's health bestow thy care. Teach her this truth, let her no longer grieve ; And bid her cease to mourn, and learn again to live. O gracious Heaven ! when thy Providence Its gracious favours scatters o'er the laud Shall we receive the good it does dispense, And scorn the chastening ill from thy dread hand ? O God of mercy ! hear our humble prayers. That we such paths of wilful error shun ; And whether rise our joys, o . flow our tears, Thy will on earth still, as in Heaven, be done. ROSEWARNE, 1785. 221 dve. and? To this tribute of warm affection, and to the many other evidences already before the reader of James Trevenen's unbounded love for his brother Matthew, may here be added the following ex- tracts from an early letter written to him while at college — extracts here given, however, chiefly as illustrative of the reflective character of the writer. Matthew, it seems, had written to his brother, saying that he was tired of a lounger's life. Well might he be tired of it ! Certainly no man was ever less intended by nature to lead it to the end. To this letter, James says in answer : " Do not be offended at what may bear the semblance of a lecture, for I am only going to tell you something about myself. A youngster, on going to sea, has ten thousand difficulties to encounter ; his accom- modations on board ship are so bad, and there are so many difficulties in his way, as, joined perhaps to a depression of spirits, natural on leaving friends, &c., incline him to a melancholy despon- dency, from which it is ten thousand to one if he rouses himself to any exertion in learning, or in his duty on board. Unless he has some friend among the officers, it is most likely he falls into foolish dissipated company, which pleases him for a time, because it drives away his melancholy, but so totally estranges his mind from all thoughts of improvement that he is certain, in the end, to turn out a blockhead. 222 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. i 1 1! >k - "This was a good deal my case at first; but I gi'ew tired of the life of a lounger, because my mind had been used to be exercised at school. However, it was to no purpose that I resolved to amend ; for the difficulties before mentioned stood in my way. And, although I every day made fresh resolutions, yet I was every day sure to break them; for, truly speaking, my mind had contracted an indolence that gave me an aversion to everything that required thought. It seemfiH a labour such as I could not look on without pain. But still I had my reason left, which told me I was going on quite in a wrong ;vay; and that, if I continued to do so, I should be a block- head all my life-time, and must be content for ever to pass unnoticed in the world. But these reflections served only to augment my misery ; for it was almost impossible to do anything in a mid- shipman's berth, and I saw no help for my situa- tion, which really was a most horrid one. I lounged about the ship from place to place, any how, to pass time away ; at the same time that it was with the greatest regret I saw day after day go over my head, vithout my having improved myself in anything, or knowing more than when I first set out. I knew it, and was so unhappy that I often retired to a corner and cried like a child. Thus was my life annihilating, when two friendly hands were reached out, and saved me from the ROSEWARNB, 1785. 223 t; but use my school. Ived to d stood f made sure to ind had aversion sfiemPid without lich told ray; and a block- itent for \\xi these sery; for n a mid- ny situa- one. I ace, any le that it after day improved n when I ippy that e a child, friendly from the gulf into which I was plunging; and, if over I get any promotion in the service, which ambition bids me hope, I shall always gratefully acknowledge that it is totally owing to Captain King and Mr. Bligh, our master ; they took notice of me, and offered me the use of their cabins and advice. But indolence had already got such hold on me from habit, that I had many hard battles to conquer it. I have a hundred times laid down a plan to proceed upon, made the best resolutions, and been quite happy for a time in prosecuting it with vigour, but when the first enthusiasm was abated, my diligence began to abate also, and I used to endeavour to form excuses to myself for it. sometimes I have thought that I was natu- rally of an indolent disposition, and that therefore it was in vain to fight against it. But I am con- vinced that no man is constitutionally so : it comes at first from idleness; idleness becomes habitual, and, at last, the mind, from not being exercised, becomes relaxed, and loses all its vigour." The letter then goes on into a comment on the several objects of useful and liberal study, from which the only sentence which need be extracted is the following : " I declare to you that if the war was to finish, I myself would come to Cambridge, enter myself a gentleman commoner, and make astro- nomy my chief study; as painting, &c., should be my amusement." i/t: II H 1 I ! I I ' :|1| t'* ' 1 ! 1 ;■ CHAPTER III. TO HIS ARRIVAL AT PiTERSBUROH, OCTOBER 7, 1787. The residue of the winter of 1785-1786 and almost the whole of the succeeding summer were passed by James Trevenen amongst his friends in Cornwall. His habits were studious, but he enjoyed society. His health seemed to his friends to be better than they had dared, after so many illnesses, to expect ; and the summer months were enlivened to him by a long visit from his friend Ward, whose eccentricities and argumenta- tions, and agreeableness, were long remembered in the hospitable circle into which his friend in- troduced him. An objectless life, however, sel- dom lasts long with a man who has once learned to exert himself. Trevenen in the autumn of this year began to entertain plans for pursuing dis- coveries, and of establishing a fur trade, in the North Pacific, as had been suggested by Captain King in his volume of the " Continuation of Cook's Voyages," and also of exploring the Japanese Islands, and the Bay of China. He proposed ROSEWARNE, 1786. 225 1787. r86 and ler were } friends but he is friends so many months from his •umenta- lembered iend in- iver, sel- learned in of this ing dis- , in the Captain .f Cook's apanese I proposed to his friend Penrose to engage with him in a trading voyage for furs to Nootka Sound, and Cook's River. A merchant of Fahnouth, Mr. Daubuz, applied to him for information on the same subject, on the part of a company which was projecting a similar scheme, and proposed to him to direct and command an expedition to consist of two ships, with this object in view. The sum which it was proposed to devote to the equipment of this expedition was sufficiently ample, and the negotiation advanced so far that Trevenen set out for London in November, in order to arrange the preliminaries with the Government. A petition was presented, which was indorsed " promised to be complied with;" but some apprehension of interfering with the rights of the South Sea Company prevented the farther prosecution of the affair. Thus thrown aback in this project, he applied for employment in the formation of the new settlement which was at this time setting on foot at Botany Bay ; but he was too late. He also appears at one time to have intended to try the East India Company's service, but saw too many difficulties to be surmounted before he could attain an adequate station in it. Towards the end of November he wrote a letter on service to the Admiralty, earnestly requesting employ, either on the Botany Bay service, or on any other out of the common routine of sea duty. But to this ap- Q < I LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. plication he only received the usual official answer to letters on service. To an ardent mind all these rebuffs could not but be mortifying. The mortification which they pro- duced was also increased by a feeling of violent animosity against the ministry, the Pitt ministry, which was at this time in power, — an animosity if not created, yet doubtless exasperated, by the friendships to which his intimacy with Captain King had introduced him. He at this time passed some days at Beaconsfield with Mr. Burke, and paid a visit at Cliefden to Lord Inchiquin, with whom he had previously made acquaintance at Cork, in 1782. Mr. John King also, his friend's brother, who had been secretary to Lord Rockingham, and with whom Trevenen was in constant intercourse, was now in very decided opposition to Government. This society could not be without its effect on a man who seemed to himself to be beating his wings vainly against impassable bars. The Ad- miralty itself had, perhaps, never been in better hands under any administration than at present un- der Lord Howe's. But Trevenen, perhaps, forgot too much that, though he had been a sharer in Cook's memorable voyage, his own midshipman's berth had been much too subordinate a situation to allow his real abilities to be known and appre- ciated. He says, in letters of this date to his mother and one of his brothers, that he cannot \ ' LONDON, 1786. 227 I answer I not but they pro- ,f violent ministry, animosity a, by the I Captain nae passed lurke, and quin, with ce at Cork, I's brother, igham, and itercourse, )vernment. 3ffect on a )eating his The Ad- in better (resent un- taps, forgot sharer in Idshipman's situation ind appre- late to his he cannot bear, and should pine at the idea of inaction, and that though it takes off much of his enthusiasm to be employed in the service of any country but his own, "my conscience, however, is at ease. If my own country will not employ me, I am driven to become a citizen of the world, and the world is my object." Under this feeling Trevenen drew up and pre- sented, early in February 1787, to the Russian ambassador in London, Count Woronzow, a plan for equipping three stout vessels in Europe, and sending them round Cape Horn to Kamschatka. This plan, which is of great length, is on the whole very similar to that vhich was afterwards very ably carried into effect by Krusenstem, and ex- tended to the opening a commerce, not with North America and China only, but also with the Kurile Islands and with Japan. It is unnecessary to enter here into its details. Count Woronzow eagerly embraced the project, and transmitted it to the Empress ; and Trevenen returned to Corn- wall to await her decision. This decision did not arrive in England till May ; but as the Ambassa- dor had assured him that there was no doubt but that the plan would be approved, and his offer of his own services in carrying it into execution gladly accepted, he thought himself precluded from forming any interfering engagement. Other- wise he would have gladly embraced a proposition Q 2 228 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. ;ii made to him by Mr. Dalrymple, to take the com- mand of the Bountyi then fitting out for the voyage subsequently made memorable by the gallantry of Bligh, by the very singular for- tunes of Heywood, and by the formation of that remarkable colony in Pitcairn's Island which owes its origin to the mutineers. Thus, therefore, were prepared all the future events of that brief career which yet remained to be run by a man who certainly would not have lived long in any service without rising in it to high distinction. His Cornish friends, meanwhile, and his friend Penrose in particular, argued with him vainly against the entering into a foreign ser- vice, even with the pacific and commercial object which was now proposed. They foresaw that the entering into any such service, under any circum- stances, might in some degree pledge him to con- tinue in it, in case a war, and that a war not against England, should break out ; and they felt that the sacredness of a country's cause is indispensable to consecrate, if not to justify, the profession of arms. But the die was cast. Trevenen applied to the Admiralty for leave of absence, which was granted for a year. He left Rosewarne for London, March 22. The Empress's acceptance of his services was notified to him about May 10; and on the first of June he left London for Harvdch, whence he sailed to Helvoetsluys on the following day. He HARWICH, 1787. 229 e coni- br the by the lar for- tion of Island Thus, . events d to be ive lived ; to high Banwhile, Tied with reign ser- iial object that the circum- to con- lot against |t that the snsable to of arms. Bd to the 1 granted |on, March pvices was the first vhence he [day. He was accompanied to Harwich by his eldest brother, and his friend Ward. The following extract from the last letter which he wrote before his de- parture will probably be thought to have much more in it of a foreboding of misfortune than of cheerful hope : — " May 2R, 1767. " My dear Mother, " Neither you nor any one who knows me, will, I think, do me the injustice to suppose that I leave England with a tranquil heart, or that I do not feel the sacrifice I am making ^f untry and friends (though I hope but for ' jie). Nevertheless, as far as reason, hope, or conscience, are concerned, I find myself quite acquitted and encouraged. " It is ridiculous and burlesque to talk of what great things one may expect before anything is done or experienced ; yet man will still be frail man ; and hope, as Dr. Johnson observes, is capable of triumphing over repeated experience ; and without it nothing would be done ever. At all events, I am sure of employing my time well, and, with or witliout success, a few years more will content me; and I shall be ready to embrace poverty and retirement when I can resolve that I have done my duty in this world. This is my old argument, but as I still think it a good one, it is not mal a propos to repeat it here, especially 230 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. as it will help to convince and reconcile you to my going away. I could quote something very much to the purpose from Akenside's Pleasures of Imagination ; but it would savour too much of a caricatured hope, as there is yet no foundation for a real one. My next will probably be from Holland. Wherever I may be, I shall always be your dutiful son, " J. T." The voyage was tedious, and the packet did not reach Helvoetsluys till June 5. Trevenen made no stay here, but set out immediately for the Hague, where he remained till the 14th, waiting for despatches from Count Woronzow, and for a Russian officer who had been directed to join him there. He reached Berlin on the 21st, and left it again on the 22nd. His letters, both from the Hague and from Berlin, are full of the necessity, as he calls it, of his undertaking, and almost of regrets at the having been led to engage in it. But such is our constitution, that thoughts of the importance of any end to which we have once committed ourselves spring up readily in our minds, and, joined with the pertinacity of all strong natures, lead us to pursue it with a zeal or intentness altogether incommensurate with its real worth. Trevenen and his companion travelled night and day from Berlin, till, on descending a hill in COURLAND, 1787. 231 ! you to ing very Pleasures much of lundation be from ilways be " J. T." acket did Trevenen ;ely for the ;h, waiting , and for a ho join him it, and left 1 from the necessity, almost of ;age in it. rhts of the have once lily in our jcity of all ith a zeal ,e vyith its [lied night a hill in Courland, down which he was leading the horses, he unfortunately became entangled in his cloak, and was thrown down. The wheels passed over his right foot and broke the leg. He was taken immediately into a house into which he was very kindly invited and received, and then carried by some peasants to a little inn in the neighbouring village of Tadaikin. At this inn he was left for a time quite alone. The Russian officer, Mr. Novikoff, who had travelled with him from the Hague, was obliged to leave him the day after the accident. The limb, when an ignorant surgeon was procured to set it, was ill set, and a fever supervened, which at length increased to a very violent degree, and was attended by a raging pain in the breast. These distressing symptoms were succeeded by a delirium for five days, during which time he never slept. But in a very few days after, he writes, "I recover daily, and am in good spirits : " so happy was the mould in which nature had formed him. " My only resource," he says at this time, in a letter to his mother, " was to sing as long as my breath lasted, and then think about you, build castles in the air, and then sing again." This was not, however, exactly his only resource, inasmuch as he also wrote, during his long con- finement, no very small quantity of gay con- versational verses to his friends — verses eagerly I m 'I i!lM I { ( ! ! i lii II •..'' 1 Ml 232 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. read by them at the time, but of which the attrac- tion cannot be prolonged without the transference of more of the special circumstances connected with them, than can survive the lapse of upwards of sixty years. Thus lay this ardent being, " in the worst inn's worst room," from the latter end of June to the 22nd of August. The reader will not suppose that his good spirits and his castle-building re- sources did not sometimes flag in this long in- terval. " In vain," he says in a letter of the 16th of August — " in vain do I try to amuse myself by swinging backwards and forwards a rope that hangs from the roof for me to raise myself by ; in vain do I practise myself in endeavouring to hit with it the knots in the beams and plauks above my head ; in vain do I, my humanity lulled asleep, and urged by ray impatience, dart it with un- erring hand at the miserable flies who fall martyrs to my ennui." His situation, nevertheless, bad as it was, had improved gradually. The Russian commandant at Mittau, who had been informed by M. Novikoff of his misfortune, had sent an Italian sculptor, a M. Verdel, to visit him; and this M. Verdel procured for him from Lybau a small supply of books, and also a Swedish servant, who spoke German, Russian, and French, and was very useful to him. The books were soon, as he says, eaten up. " I own," he says, after making I > COURLAND, 1787- 233 e attrac- isfereiice onnected upwards orst inn's tne to the t suppose ilding re- } long in- f the 16th myself by rope that nyself by ; vouring to auks above led asleep, with un- til martyrs leless, bad lie Russian informed ,d sent an him; and Lybau a ish servant, •h, and was soon, as he Ler making this complaint, " that I have still Dr. Johnson's resource — a book of arithmetic ; and I can verify what he says of it that it is never exhausted, and always affords something new ; but it is too deep for the present state of my brain : application sets it a whirling. Story, story, story, is what I want." Of M. Verdel, he says that " he was an agreeable young man, and his company some relief to me from the silence I had been condemned to before. He being a sculptor, we talked of course of the fine arts, or rather I gave him the opportunity of talking of them. He complained that the Russian nobility were poor patrons, that they had in reality no taste for the arts, and only showed any regard to them from ostentation. He made a remark, which I doubt not is a good one, on the court and nobility of Russia, that if a man did not soon rise and make his fortune there, he should quit it as hopeless. In despotic courts and among capricious nobility I think this must hold good. He had resided two years in Petersburgh, and was now come to Courland only on the occasion of the erection of some monument." " In the meantime," proceeds the journal, " I began to be visited by the people, i.e., by the lords of the country; and first, M. de Sass, the proprietor of these parts, came here one day with his whole family, i.e., wife, several sons, tutor, and servants, all on horseback. His wife was dressed !i I ■'■III' :l ! I r 234 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TAEVENEN. in men's clothes, and at first I supposed her to be his eldest son, but was soon undeceived by her voice and manner. She talked French, and was exceedingly civil, as well as her husband. Their eldest son, also a youth of about sixteen, offered me the use of his books. He had several in the English language, which he was learning, and accordingly he sent me Pope's Works, and the Per- sian Tales, a very great comfort to me, for I had al- ready read out my Lybau books." Trevenen had, also, at this time several brief but very refreshing visits from persons of various nations travelling to and from Petersburgh — English merchants, Ger- mans and Poles, some of whom offered him both money and credit ; and one of them, Mr. Parker of Fleet Street, offered to stay with him till his recovery should be more confirmed. M. and Madame de Sass came and stayed some days at Tadaikin, and furnished him with many of the little comforts of which he was in want. Neither yet did the especial kindness shown to him by this amiable family stop here. As soon as he could be removed, they invited him to their seat at Ilmagen, about ten miles distant ; and here he accordingly went about August 22, and stayed three weeks, receiving and enjoying a most kind hospitality, for which he never ceased to be grate- ful to the amiable friends by whom it was be- stowed. Nor did he less endear himself to his ! i ' , M « k COURLAND, 1787. 236 er to be by her ich, and lusband. sixteen, everal iu ling, and the Per- I had al- 3nen had, ■efreshing veiling to mts, Ger- him both r. Parker m till his M. and le days at ly of the Neither him by ion as he their seat and here ind stayed Lost kind be grate- was be- slf to his hosts, who, when they heard throe years afterwards the tidings of his death, mourned for him six months, erected a monument to his memory, and called an island and a lake by his name. One of the sons of this amiable family came a few years afterwards to England, and it was a great regret to the eldest Mr. Trevenen that he could not accept an invitation to Cornwall, where a visit from him would have been received with the greatest and truest warmth of regard. On leaving Ilmagen, Trevenen p'-'^cccded to Mittau. He had not travelled above five miles when he met a Russian officer from Petersburgh, who informed him that four ships, which he had before heard were fitting out at Cronstadt for the voyage of discovery, had already sailed for England, where they were to pass the winter. He had ex- pected to have gone out in these ships ; and, not- withstanding the receipt of this intelligence, still supposed that he should be sent after them, and that he might arrive at Petersburgh in time to sail for England in some English vessel. At Mittau he was received with great kindness by the Russian ambassador. Indeed the Russian authorities seem always to have treated him with every attention which he could possibly expect or desire. From Mittau he went to Riga, where he first heard that the Turks had declared war against Russia. He hero purchased a carriage and hired horses to I mw^ :l M I* 236 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. take him to Petersburgh. But the carriage broke down rt the distance of fifteen versts from the end of his journey ; and he was then obliged to put himself into a sort of hay-cart, the only vehicle he could procure. In this rude voiture he entered Petersburgh, October 7, at two a.m.; and he re- marks in a letter to his mother: — "So you see nothing but misfortunes have happened to me, from my first entering the dominions of the great Autocratix. Whether they are to last, time will determine." In another place he says, " An entry by no means triumphal: what will be the sortie?" EN. iage broke »m the end red to put vehicle he he entered and he re- 3o you see tied to me, ►f the great it, time will , « An entry the sortie?" CHAPTER IV. TO THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 1788. It had now become apparent that the expedition round the world must be delayed, in consequence of the sudden and unexpected outbreak of the war against Turkey. Trevenen — who called as soon as possible on Count Besborodka, to whom he had been recommended most particularly by Count Woronzow, and who received and always treated him wHh friendship and regard — had, of course, this decision communicated to him without delay. He was also told that it was now expected that he would agree to serve with the rank of second captain in the Turkish war, and that there did not exist any precedent for giving him a higher rank at present. He was promised double pay ; and though this double pay did not amount to more than 150/. sterling a year, a sum very inadequate to keep up the position in which he would be placed, his English friends thought this a liberal offer. Indeed, he does not seem to have had, at any time, reason to complain f ; '111 •III. I i Mil , « ■ 238 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. of any want of considerntenesB, on the part of either the Empress herself or her ministers, in their pecu- niary dealings with him. Special allowances and remittances were made to him on various occasions while in Russia, which, though not equal to his wants, wore yet generously intended and given. There is no need, however, here to say more on this subject than that the expense of his journey from England had been already paid, and that thus another link was added to that chain which his friends in Cornwall had forewarned him that he would put on by entering into a foreign service. Under these circumstances, and doubtless, also, under the stimulating desire of active employ, he agreed without difficulty to the proposition made to him, though with the stipulation that he must wait for the consent of the English Admiralty be- fore he accepted it finally. That this consent would be given, he supposed would be little else than matter of course, and he wrote immediately to London to make application for it through Count Woronzow. On the 2nd of November he went to Cronstadt, where he had much con- versation with Admiral Greig and other officers, with whom he was destined to serve after- wards, and returned to Petersburgh on the 4th. Admiral Greig, on coming himself a short time afterwards to the capital, informed him that Count Besborodka had forgotten the stipulation of PETERSBURG, 178?. 239 of either t)ir pecu- ices and occasions al to his id given, more on 9 journey and that ain which him that jn service, tless, also, 5mploy, he tion made ,t he must niralty be- is consent little else imediately It through iNovember Luch con- ir officers, •ve after- the 4th. ihort time him that lulation of waiting for the consent of the English Admiralty, and that the order for his admission into tho Russian service was already signed ; that the Russian Admiralty would of course send for him, and that it would now therefore be scarcely possible for him to avoid taking the appointment which he would receive. Accordingly he was appointed to the command of the Ya ilaff in the second division of the fleet, under Admiral Tchitchagoff. On the 26th of November ho was presented by Admiral Siniavin to the Grand Duke, and by the Duke to the Empress. His journal of this date is full of anxiety and apparent regret at having placed himself in the position in whicl he now stood, and which he was yet unwilling to leave; full of afTectionateness to his mother and family, of expressions of resignation to God's will, and of agitated reflections on the moral and intel- lectual happiness and unhapplness of human life. A few days after his presentation at court he re- ceived a refusal from the English Admiralty to al- low of his entering into a foreign service, a refusal which was grounded on the affair of the Scheldt, and the possibility that England might become in- volved in the disputes to which that question gave birth. On receiving this most unexpected answer to his application, it appeared to him that he had now no other alternative but either to renounce mmHmmmmm r-^ 240 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. I ! ' I ! the service of Russia, or to resign his English lieutenancy. He moreover argued with himself that the breaking out of the war with Turkey rather pledged his honour not to leave the Russian service at this time ; that he had but very little expectation of advancement at home, where pro- motion was now almost exclusively given to bo- rough interest, or to that of powerful families; that many of the captains under whom he had served, and by whom, it they had lived, he might still have been brought forward, were already dead; and again he argued on the other hand, that a peace would in all probability be soon concluded with the Turks, and that the opportunity would then revive of his proceeding in the projected ex- pedition of northern discovery. In this view of the case, he inclosed his lieutenant's commission to the Secretary of the Admiralty, with a letter of resignation, and transmitted it to his friends in London for delivery. But it was their feeling that a resignation under such circumstances would rather have the appearance of being dictated by irritation than by .the sense of propriety, and there- fore withheld it. The remaining part of this winter of 1787-1788, Captain Trevenen passed at Cronstadt, and while here devoted himself to the study of the Russian language, in which he made himself a very toler- able proficient. But he had worse difficulties to N. CRONSTADT, 1787-1788. 241 English 1 himself 1 Turkey e Russian very little (There pro- ren to bo- l families; m he had 1, he might ready dead; md, that a I concluded inity would ■ojected ex- his view of commission ith a letter his friends leir feeling nces would [ictated by ', and there- L787-1788, and while Ithe Russian very toler- Ifficulties to surmount than those of language. The officers, over whose heads he had been promoted, bore him an ill-will which could not be removed from minds not far enough advanced in professional education to appreciate their need of further improvement. Of such in the Russian naval service at this time there were but few; and of the difficulties imposed on a commander, who has thus all or almost all his subordinates in a sort of league against him, it must be needless to speak. "A captain of a man-of-war," Captain Trevenen says in a subse- quent letter, " is a very different being here and in England. Here he can do nothing whilst within reach of the Admiralty. There a man may rely on his officers in all cases, of whatever moment or danger. Here he has no one to rely on but himself, no capable lieutenants, no such comfortable person as the master to attend to his anchors and cables, and nobody above a boatswain's mate to attend to his rigging. He must be all in all himself. He must be answerable for everything, and for every officer, even for their morals, of which they have none ; and if any misfortune happen to him, he has the comfortable reflection that not only all his brother officers among the natives will rejoice in his fall and will not fail to verify the fable of the sick lion, but that even his own ship- mates will join in the cry, and accuse him for what probably only happened from their own un- B 242 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. conquerable ignorance and supineness. For my own part I am as well off with regard to my of- ficers as almost anybody, and my captain-lieutenant is very much of a gentleman, having served in England for some time, where the seeds of prin- ciple and honour seem to have taken strong root in his mind. He is, however, fastidious and peevish, somewhat like myself, and does not agree with the other officers. If I could descend to the little policy of dividing the two parties, I might always have one on my side ; but it is a policy I despise ; and if I cannot carry all through the strong hand of policy and rectitude of intention, why let all run riot." Again, however, on the other side, he adds that,, " With all these disagreeable circumstances, there are sweets in authority which I taste with gust : there is exultation in command, and even in com- mand in danger, that repays one's anxiety ; and in command one may enjoy the pleasure of doing good, and of being actively useful; in keeping peace amongst officers, and making them know their own true interests ; in endeavouring to dis- tribute impartial and inflexible justice ; and in lifting up the desponding heads of the poor mi- serable Russian i ^cruits, who come upon a new element from their peaceful habitations in the depth of the wilderness to what they imagine a certainty of death, and of living in misery till they N. Ciir.NSTADT, 1787-1788. 243 For my to my of- iieutenant served in is of prin- )ng root in id peevish, igree with o the little ight always I despise ; itrong hand why let all adds that,, inces, there with gust: |ven in com- lety ; and in ■e of doing in keeping [them know [ring to dis- -e; and in u poor mi- pon a new ions in the imagine a sry till they are relieved by it. The lives of men are beyond imagination valueless here, and deaths so common as to excite no observation. In the sea hospitals in the smyJl town of Cronstadt hardly less than twenty have died in any day since the beginning of spring ; and the rest are so dispirited that they die from no other cause : like the Swiss soldiers, who sing melancholily of the charms of their na- tive mountains, and die in regretting them." A further difficulty was also brought on Treve- nen during his stay at Cronstadt, by the admission of Paul Jones into the Russian navy. The action fought by thiu doubtless gallant pirate with Capt. Pearson, of the Seraph, during the American war, had gained him throughout all Europe a very great notoriety ; and Russia, glad to gain proselytes to her navy from any quarter, caught at him eagerly. All the English officers in the service united in making an indignant remonstrance on this subject, and in a declaration that they would quit the ser- vice if he were admitted into it. Admiral Greig appears to have promised to concur in this remon- strance. He, however, declined to present it in opposition to the wishes of the Grand Duke and the Empress, and finally Trevenen seems to have been left to act in this matter for himself. He therefore called on the Grand Duke, with a written declaration in his own name against the intended appointment. This declaration he was, however, R 2 'ii lljlllllllli i1 ! I:.|! 244 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. prevailed on to withdraw, by a nearly positive assur- ance that this adventurer should never serve either over him or with him. For a time this affair had seemed to him so likely to put a final stop to his continuance in the Empress's service, that he de- layed for some weeks the writing to his friends in Cornwall, in expectation of having to say in his next letter that he should be soon at home. And he, indeed, appears to have felt a degree of disappointment that the issue of his conference with the Grand Duke left him a choice on the subject. Another plea which he might have had for leaving the Russian service at this time was the issuing of a proclamation in England, in which all British officers who were abroad were ordered to return home, in expectation of a war with France. But neither this proclamation, nor the urgent advice of many of his English friends, his friend Penrose in particular, that he would avail himself of it, could induce him to forsake the path to which he had rashly committed himself. He was at this time in command of the Rodidaff, of 64 guns. The fleet sailed from Cronstadt, June 23. There was a prevailing distrust that the war which had broken out with Sweden would put a sudden stop to the expedition against the Turks. Yet still the fleet retained on board the troops, and flat-bottomed boats, and other preparations, BALTIC SEA, 1788. 245 for a campaign in the Mediterranean. After leaving Cronstadt it encountered a foul wind for ten days, and an opportunity was thus afforded of exercising the very unpractised crews at the great guns. On the morning of the 6th of July the Swedish fleet was seen to leeward formed in a good line of battle, and about 5 p.m. Admiral Greig made the signal to bear down and engage. Without entering into the details of the action which followed, it may be here subjoined from Captain Trevenen's journal, that " the first fire of the Swedes was so brisk and effectual that the poor boors of Siberia, who now for the first time heard the whistling of a shot, and saw their com- rades fall dead by their side, were quite confounded. But being encouraged to do their duty for the glory of Russia, and the love of the Virgin Mary, they fell to with a continued spirit and alacrity worthy of British veterans. Nothing could be better, their want of knowledge excepted, and even the most poor miserable stupid creatures amongst them became for the time intelligent, strong, and healthy men." The Russian fire gra- dually improved, and that of the Swedes gradually slackened. The loss sustained in this action was on both sides considerable. That of the Swedes was allowed to be 700 killed, and that of the Russians from 400 to 500: a carnage partly to be accounted for on the known maxim that 246 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. naval warfare is ordinarily far more deadly in the smooth water of the Baltic than in the ocean. The weight of the engagement, which lasted nearly six hours, appears to have fallen on about seven ships, of which the Rodislaff" was one, and Trevenen himself had a narrow escape. One of the first shots from the enemy broke his sword, and the spying-glass which he held in his hands, and mortally wounded a young prince Dolgorouki, who was serving on board his ship as a volunteer, and who, in falling, fell into his arms. After the battle the Swedes drew off in good order, and only four of the Russian ships then kept their heads towards the enemy. Of these Admiral Greig's ship was one, and the other three were the ships commanded by Captains Dennison and Trevenen, and Captain Molofski, whom it had been intended to join with him in the voyage of discovery. Captain Elphinstone's ship would not have been behind any one of these if it had not been disabled in the preceding engagement. Capt. Trevenen adds further, that his crew made frequent inquiries during the course of this action respecting his own safety ; and, if they did not see him for some time, would run to the quarter-deck to ask if he was well. Finding that he was well, they would cry — " Then all is well, fight away." He had made the men thus his friends by treating them with liberality, and not putting into his own I ! I BALTIC SEA, 1788. 247 pocket the profits which a purser may sometimes make for himself. The captain in a Russian ship of war is, or at that time was, the purser also. Some days after this battle the Russian fleet re- turned nearer to Cronstadt to meet reinforcements, and anchored off Sackar, in the Gulf of Finland, where it remained till July 28. It afterwards returned to cruise off Helsingfors, and thence to Revel, where the insignia of various orders of merit were transmitted to seven officers who had distinguished themselves on this occasion. Of this number Trevenen was one, although his name and Captain Dennison's were not included in the list till after a spirited remonstrance by Trevenen on being left out. On August 13, Trevenen received orders to proceed to Hanghoud, a port in Swedish Finland, and to take possession of and maintain it as a post. The object of this service was to intercept the communications from Stockholm and the country round the Gulf of Bothnia, particularly ; also with the ports in Finland adjoining the seat of war; and to block up a number of Swedish frigates which lay at Zweermunde, and were in- tended for the protection of the coasting trade. By his taking this position, these frigates remained blocked up and useless during the remainder of the season. During this service, in which he had three ships of the line, and several smaller vessels ! i 248 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. !< I I ! placed under his command, Trevenen was exceed- ingly distressed by the brutal conduct of his un- civilized officers and men towards the Finnish peasantry and fishermen. No orders could be more express or more humane than those which had been issued by Admiral Greig, for the cultiva- tion of a good understanding with the natives, as he calls them, of the neighbourhood ; and this he adds, " as it is quite agreeable to our present plan to make them dissatisfied with the conduct and person of their king, and give them all possible encouragement to restore their ancient limited form of government."* But no orders were ever issued which appear to have been more disobeyed. On Trevenen's first arrival on the Finland coast he found the inhabitants well disposed towards the Russians ; and the magistrates for forty versts round sent to claim his protection. Even some of the Swedish noblesse sent their peasants with provisions for sale. But the irrepressible mis- behaviour of the Russians soon put an end to this sort of intercourse. Two villages were set on fire, and Trevenen found that all his captains had taken part in this outrage. " The savageness," he says in a journal of this date, "of the Russian officers and men had delighted in doing all the mischief possible." And again : " The breaking the windows and destroying the furniture in a larger * See note C at the end of this volume. COAST OF FINLAND, 1788. 249 village, about three miles off, where were some tole- rable houses, afforded great delight, not only to the miserable men, but also to the officers. These were not," he concludes, " amongst those who had behaved best in our action." By savageness is here meant the savageness of savages, or of un- reclaimed childishness, not national or charac- teristic ferocity. It should be, however, added, that he had some relief to these painful circum- stances in having several foreign officers under his command, Germans, English, and Dutch, with whom he appears to have been fully satisfied. During the course of this blockade. Captain Trevenen made several attempts to draw the enemy into action, or to find means of attacking them in their ports ; but these proved unavailing. He also made a chart of this part of the coast of Finland ; which, though in sight of all the trade to and from Petersburgh, had been before unsurveyed. On August 2Q he received from a French officer in the Swedish service a very complimentary request that, inasmuch as a truce was about to take place, parties from the hostile squadrons might meet in an amicable way to dine together on a neighbouring island. The answer sent by Trevenen to this request makes it worth the recording, and is as follows : — " Permit me, Sir, to say that the expressions you have used in my favour give me sincere I ! iif ! lit: ! ■! I il'i 250 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. pleasure, as the marks of esteem from a bravo and respectable enemy ought always to do. Dut, in the meantime, I must add that I cannot suffer so near me an enemy so strong as you appear to be ; and, therefore, I must beg you to retire. I need not make any excuse for this conduct, as all military men understand it well. "As soon as I hear of the truce being made, I shall not fail to give you notice ; and it is then that I shall have great pleasure in making your acquaintance, and to assure you of all the esteem and consideration with which I have the honour to be very sincerely, &c., &c., A Mons. le Baron de Steydino, '• Gapitaine de Haut Bord, " Chevalier des Ordres," &c. J. TREVENEN. The concluding operations of this blockade con- sisted in the intercepting a number of vessels laden with provisions for Zweermunde and Helsing- fors ; a service which, though of an obscure nature, was conducted with great ability and success. Soon afterwards, Trevenen was recalled by orders from the Russian Admiral Koslinoff. He sailed, October 14, with his squadron from Hanghoud, and was two days on his voyage to Revel. On the night of his arrival he heard of the death of Admiral Greig, who, indeed, had been on his REVEL, 1788. 251 e and in tho near ; and, ad not lilitary aade, I is then ig your esteem honour iNEN. ide con- vessels [elsing- nature, [success, orders sailed, ighoud, ^1. On ieath of on his death-bed at the time of his recall. He probably would not have been recalled if Greig had lived. The instructions previously given were to retain the station at Hanghoud to as late a period of the season as possible ; and his recall was attributed to the feeling of mortification in the native officers, at seeing the command of a force which had previously been given only to u:T"';als conferred on a captain who was a foreigner. Greig's own confidence in Trevenen was unbounded ; and it appears to have been his clear intention to make him commander of the advanced guard of his fleet. Trevenen on his part felt an extreme and mourn- ful regret at Admiral Greig's death, was one of the bearers at his funeral, and, in a letter to his friend Riou, written apparently at Petersburgh some weeks afterwards, but which it is believed was never sent, speaks of him in the highest terms of eulogy ; and also speaks with great indignation of the charges which had been made against him as an abettor of the horrible treachery which had been practised in 1770 at Leghorn against the unfortunate Princess Tarrakanolf. Captain Trevenen had not been long at Revel when he received a letter from Count Chernichew, minister of marines, announcing to him his promo- tion to the rank of first captain, in consideration of his conduct in the battle of July, and his perseverance in guarding his post at Hanghoud. 252 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. I I i"'! ii'ij This lotte'* seems to have been written before the receipt of one which had been previously written by Trevenen to Cliernichew, giving an account of all the occurrences at that station, together with his remarks on the place, its means of defence, and other particulars. Chernichew's answer to this letter contained an immediate summons to Petersburgh, for the sake of conferring with him on the subjects on which he had written. Trevenen had also a letter at this time from London from Count Woronzow, referring to the high estimation in which he was held at Petersburgh ; and thus giving him a gleam of hope of future distinction and success, which lasted for a time. But this hope was coupled, as he says in one of his letters, with " the melancholy reflection that it removes me farther from my own service, by putting within my prospect rank and command that I could never hope to acquire at home." The reception which Captain Trevenen met with at Petersburgh was highly flattering. Ho received from the Empress jiersonally many marks of courtesy, and was called by her her own captain, and her gallant Englishman, and was directed to form a plan for the naval campaign of the next year. The plan which he consequently drew up is chiefly occupied with suggesting measures for fortifying Revel, which was but a weak post, and for concentrating the Russian fleet, which was at PETERSDURGII, 1788. 263 oro the written ount of ler with ilefence, swcr to mons to li him on ^revenen Ion from itimation and thus istinction But this lis letters, removes Ing within 1 could this time imprudently divided among the ports of Revel, Cronstadt, and Copenhagen. The plan then proceeds to urge the importance of blockading the Swedes at Carlscrona, as soon as the Baltic should be open, and of transferring the seat of war from the Gulf of Finland to that of Bothnia. If this could be done, the superiority of the Russians to the Swedes in number of ships would admit of the sending some to cruise in the entrance of the British Channel, and of thus intercepting the numerous and valuable foreign merchant-ships of Sweden, wherever bound. During a part of this winter, Trevenen had apart- ments in the house of Count Chernichew, who appeared to be his warm admirer and zealous friend. men met ling. He Iny marks li captain, rected to I the next drew up isures for post, and \\\ was at CHAPTER V. FROM HT3 MARRIAGE, FEBRUARY, 1789, TO MARCH, 1790 On the 9th of February, 1789, Captain Trevenen married Elizabeth Farquharson, daughter of John Farquharson, Esq., of the ^rnily of the Farqu- harsons of Invercauld in Scotland. He had seen much of Miss Farquharson at Cronstadt the pre- ceding winter, at the house of her brother-in-law, Captain Dennison, and had been strongly attracted by her. But the struggle with himself, as he says in a subsequent letter to his mother, was very great and long, before he could bring himself to relinquish all the prospects with which he had hitherto fed himself, and all the projects which had employed his past, and were still marked out for the occupation of his future life. Accordingly he had left Cronstadt in the preceding June, and, as he then supposed, for the distant station of the Mediterranean, without disclosing his passion. His detention in the Baltic brought him back, as has been seen, the following winter to Petersburg!!, and he then declared himself, and was accepted. The happiness of this union appears to have been PETERSBURGH, 1789. 255 as perfect during its brief continuance as anything intense can possibly be ; and there are still some few persons living who recognise the justice of a delineation drawn long afterwards by Sir Charles Penrose, of both husband and wife : " They appear to have been the masculine and feminine repre- sentations of the same moral character, actuated by the same sense of dignified propriety, spuming with the same detestation every abasement of thought or action, and glowing with the same emulation of excellence." * This happy marriage altered, as must naturally be anticipated, all Captain Trevenen's views of the future. Both he himself, apparently, and certainly his friends, now hoped that as soon as the Russian war should be over, he would settle with his wife in some quiet retirement in England, probably in Cornwall. " It seems to me," he says of him- * Mrs. James Trevenen, with her daughter, came to Eng- land soon after her husband's death, and lived for many years almost entirely amongst his nearest relations : first at Helston, with his mother. She afterwards lived at Con- stantine, in the immediate neighbourhood of Carwethenack, where the Rev. John Penrose (See note B, p. 153) then re- sided ; and she afterwards removed to a cottage at Fenton, near Gainsborough, not far from Fledborough. Her daughter, Elizabeth Farquharson, died unmarried at Exeter in 1823. Mrs. James Trevenen married secondly, Thomas Bowdler, Esq., whom she survived, and died at Bath at an advanced age, December 10, 1845. 256 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. Ill i r I self at this time in one of his letters, "that the hodge-podge of my life is now about to take some sort of consistence. On being married," he adds, *' I began immediately to sigh after old England. For myself it was of little consequence where I lived. But for a family, whatever may be the case with the first English mastiff transported into a foreign country, his descendants at least are sure of dwindling into curs ; and there are instances enough of it here to make me dread the pros- pect." But to return to the narrative. The first move- ment of the Russian navy in 1789 was the sailing of a detachment under Captain Trevenen, April 28, to reconnoitre his former post at Hanghoud. It was found that the Swedes had become sensible of its importance, and that during the winter they had erected five batteries for its defence*. He * While on this service Captain Trevenen received the subjoined letter from the wife of a Lieutenant Crown, an Englishman in the Russian service : — " We were sent from the fleet on the 28th of April to reconnoitre Carlscrona. With much difficulty in getting through the ice we arrived on our station, the 8th instant, and observed in Carlscrona fifteen sail of pendants. The 14th we were chased by two frigates and a cutter; and, indeed, so we have been ever since ; but, from foggy weather, have lost sight of them for a day or two. Yesterday, in endeavouring to regain our sta- tion, we met them again, and were obliged to put in here. On the 11th we captured a cutter, mounting twelve guns; and were so fortunate as to receive no damage but having ii REVEL, 1789. 257 , the some adds, ;laiid. ere I e the d into e sure tances ! pros- move- sailing , April ighoud. sensible |er they He lived the •own, an lent from irlscrona. arrived rlscrona by two |een ever em for our sta- in here, e guns; it having returned to Revel May 15. He was now under the command of Admiral Tchitchagoff, and in one of his letters of this date he expresses with his usual energy his low opinion of this most incompetent commander. In another letter he speaks as follows of the manning of the fleet: — "The Cronstadt fleet arrived here on the 26th of last month, happily; but in such distress for the want of good sailors, that it is found necessary to make a division of those we had the trouble of teaching last year. My only reason for keeping my old ship, or rather for not asking for another, which I had a great right to do, arose from my desire to keep the people whom I knew and who knew me, and who had been already in action. So that when they take my people, I shall beg them to take my ship too ; for the promotions among the sea- men last year, and the battle, have already taken away most of the old and good seamen I had. Heaven send us fine weather." On the 22nd of April, in this year. Count Woronzow writes to Capt. Trevenen as follows: — ****** " It is with a true satisfaction that I hear from all my friends and relations some of our rigging shot away. I am of opinion that some very heavy blows will be struck this campaign. God pre- serve you, and all our friends in this service. " I am, your most obedient humble Servant, " Maktha Ckuwn." II 258 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. that your merit becomes more and more known, that lier Imperial Majesty knows it, and surely will employ and recompense it. There remains nothing on your part, permit me to say, but a little patience to overcome certain unpleasant circumstances inseparable from all situations, but particularly in a foreign service, where envy gene- rally attaches itself where emulation should arise ; but with perseverance you will triumph over these obstacles. It is not to flatter you, sir, that I as- sure you that a brilliant career is open to you, which you may pursue almost without a rival. Your merit assur*^s you the situation of Admiral Greig, of that man who will be immortalized in Russia. You will one day replace him, and you will replace him worthily, and will partake of his glory. Think, sir, when you feel any disgusts, what great things you may do, being sure of the support of all which is estimable among us. I sincerely wish you a brilliant fortune, and it would be with pain that I should see it in danger. " Without criticising the British navy, you will observe, upon reflection, that it is not without its unpleasant circumstances. A change of ad- ministration often confounds the most favourable hopes, and suffers the most eminent merit to re- main in perfect inactivity. " When you did me the honour to write to me. REVEL, 1789. 259 nown, surely smains but a leasant ns, but f gene- l arise ; jr these at I as- to you, a rival. Admiral lized in and you :e of his [isgusts, sure of cng us. and it le it in ^ou will I without of ad- iTOurable It to re- to me, you were full of ideas which promised you an un- pleasant campaign. Now (and I am in earnest in congratulating you) that you are become a happy husband, probably you will see matters through a less unfavourable medium. I heard of your mar- riage with the daughter of one of my oldest friends, for whom I have a great esteem, with sincere plea- sure, and I wish you all imaginable happiness. I will not conclude without recalling to your re- collection my brother-in-law, Siniavin, and r- -com- mending him to your friendship. You will oblige me on your part by furnishing me with occasions to prove my attachment, &c., &c. " J. C. WORONZOW." Something of a reverse of this hopeful pic- ture may be contemplated in the following letter from Trevenen himself to his mother, of the date apparently of June 26 : — " My dear Mother, " These new prospects of a family bring always with them new cares, as well as new pleasures, and oblige me to think very seriousl;y on economy. Unluckily in this country there is very little money, and officers are obliged to be contented for their services with rank and honour. What little we receive is paid in paper, which bears a discount of 20 per cent, against specie, and even that is debased. s 2 260 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. U*: ■I Owing to this debasement everytliing is excessively dear, much more so than in England (except, in- deed, meat); so that I have never been able to save any money in this country, although last year the profits of my ship, with my pay, amounted to about 400/. * * * As a single man I cared not for money ; and having last year a command above my rank, my expenses also were above it. Now, I shall be more economical : and it will be more necessary, as my gains will not be like those of last year; for our present commander, having no military merit, is resolved to make up for it by the civil one of economy, and his chief care is to cut off from his captains all the advantages they enjoyed under Admiral Greig ; so that at the instant my expenses increase my gains diminish. My mother, I will not stay in this country to ruin myself. I am likely to tell the same story as Gil Bias to his patron : ' Whilst I am over- whelmed with goodness, I have nothing to eat.' " [.Aiid to the same effect afterwards, in October, on tl>e loss of the Rodishff. " As to money matters, my command, so far from being ad- vantageous, puts me, on the contrary, to a great expense f r my table, without a farthing's gain, which, joined to the lo^s of my ship's furniture, has almost ruined me, as we are not this year, as last, pursers of our ships. My pay will now scarce amount to 200/. For this I have com- REVEL, 1789. 261 J » manded a squadron of twenty-five vessels and land troops, and rendered mickle service, I have been commodore and captain of my own ship, and pilot in a new and dangerous navigation, without any one of the aids which usually ac- company commanders. I am a stranger, and yet imperfect in the language, and I have had my equals in rank to command, natives of the coun- try, particularly jealous of foreigners. But whe- ther rewarded or not, whilst I have my health, my limbs, and my wife, I care for nothing." This passage is not either a bad or an unfair exemplification of the rule, that the public ser- vice is ordinarily a very expensive luxury in which to indulge.] It should, however, be added, that Capt. Trevenen mentions in his journal, that many very considerate presents were made him by the Empress on various occasions. The fleet sailed either on the last day of June or early in July, and with the view of forming a junction with the squadron under the command of Koslinoff, which had wintered at Copenhagen. On the 14th of July, before the intended junction could take place, the Swedish fleet made its ap- pearance to windward, and preparations were made for battle on both sides. A series of manoeuvres, and something of a partial action, followed, in which the crew of the Rodislaff discharged some vain broadsides before their captain could check I f ff'll I ■ J , 262 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. them, and while the enemy was yet at too great a distance to be reached by the shot. The two fleets continued in sight of each other nearly a week, and engaged at times, but without any de- cisive result, though Captain Molofski was killed. Admiral TchitchagofF, after forming a junction with the Copenhagen squadron, remained off Carlscrona some days, and then returned to Revel. August 16, orders arrived to put seven ships of the line and three frigates under the command of Captain Trevenen for detached service, together with instructions to attack and possess himself of his former station at Hanghoud, and to proceed thence to Barasound, where he was directed to take and destroy the Swedish gun-boats in that port, and on other services. Four ships of the line and a number of smaller vessels, amounting in all to twenty-five, were eventually put under his command for this service, but many difficulties occurred in the fitting them out. Of these dif- ficulties the greater part were occasioned, as was supposed, by the errors or clumsiness of Tchitchagoff, who seems to have been possessed by the faculty of doing everything wrong, and whose dislike of foreigners amounted to antipathy. At length, when the preparations seem to have been nearly complete, news arrived that an at- tack was meditated by the Swedes on the port of Portkala-lidd, where a small Russian squadron COAST OF FINLAND, 1789. 2G3 "was stationed. Tchitchagoff, on receiving this intelligence, detached Trevenen to support or re- lieve it, which he accordiu^iy did. He was at no time, perhaps, engaged in a service of greater difficulty. All the operations were necessarily carried on inside those innumerable little rocks and islets which are scattered along the broken coast of Finland. Descents were to be made on the Swedish coast, and yet there was not in the squadron a Swedish interpreter. Signals were to be made and orders issued, and yet the commander had neither secretary nor signal officer who could speak either English or French ; and though all these things had been represented to Tchitchagoff, it was without effect. Capt. Trevenen remained in the neighbourhood of Portkala-hdd till the beginning of September. On the 5th of that month he proceeded to the at- tack of Barasound, a place which was the key of the Skerries, small islands and rocks, on the inside of which the Swedes could navigate in safety from the enemy's cruisers, but through channels which here converged to one point and were commanded by it. Off this place Captain Trevenen anchored the same evening at about three versts from the batteries. The attack was at first intended for the night of September 6 ; but this intention was frustrated by a strong gale at S.E., which brought on so heavy a sea that it was r 264 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. Ki .'■1 I judged unadvisable to disembark the troops on an unknown and rocky coast in such a '^ight. On the next day the attack was made with great vigour ; and, after an action of an hour and a half, proved completely successful, though with the loss of one of the line-of-battle ships, the Savernoi Orel, of 6Q gnns, which struck on a sharp sunken rock, and could not be got off. It was a good fortune which could scarcely have been expected, that more mischief of this kind was not done. There were no surveys, and many more rocks were after- wards found, which had escaped the most diligent search. The rocks on this coast rise to a sharp and steep point, and this in the midst of the best anchorages, so that the lead may search for them in vain. The news of this success was received at Petersburg!! with great satisfaction ; and Count Besborodka, in his acknowledgment of the com- modore's despatches, intimates that it was the Empress's intention to add three more ships of the line, besides frigates and other vessels, to his force in the next season. After another very gallant and obstinately- contested attack on a neighbouring island, the lateness of the season at length compelled Capt. Trevenen to withdraw his squadron, and to pro- ceed to Revel with the first favourable wind. He passed with safety the thirty leagues of intri- \ > REVEL, 1789. 265 roops on a ''•sght. ^ith great ad a half, ti the loss rnoi Orel, ken rock, d fortune 3ted, that a. There i^ere after- st diligent ;o a sharp if the best a for them iceived at ind Count the com- was the ships of lels, to his astinately- Wand, the lied Capt. [d to pro- Die wind, of intri- cate navigation wliich lay between the dangerous channels in which he had been employed, and the open gulf, and thought himself returning tri- umphant. But in the very entrance of the port of Revel, on October 16, his pilot mistook his marks, and ran the ship on a bank. Several other ships of the squadron also stuck fast. All these were got off, but the Modiilaff' remained edifice ; the wind increased, and she quickly filit d and broke. " The weather," says Trevenen, " was very cold, and the wind blew hard, and we were nearly in the open sea ; yet we worked hard four days, and got out all her guns and nearly all her stores; but the wind afterwards increased to a storm, and knocked her to pieces."* He then ex- presses his feelings of disappointment on this occasion, in a letter to his mother, as follows: — " You must know, my dear mother, that in this country it is a terrible thing to lose a ship, and one cannot justify one's self as in England. No man is here permitted to be unfortunate, so that I do not know how this may be taken in Petersburgh. This I know, that if they offer me the least affront, I quit instantly their service ; and in so doing shall, I fancy, comply with the wishes of my mother and my wife, as well as all my friends. It is true that the idea of having * See note D at the end of the volume. ^< % ^^a S^.. ^ #.■«►- *n.i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1/ /^/. Z. 1.0 ^^ 1^ I.I 1.25 | 4j Hi 2.2 - IIIIIM 1.4 1.6 llll^ vl /a '^^ <^%.^ . 7 Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 ,^4 ,p Is I ;-ov'"*„ f/u '^^ ;«. 266 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. raised myself to the rank of rear-admiral, which I might almost have expected before the age of thirty, and without the assistance of any soul on earth, now and then flattered my ambition a little. But I have always kept such a strict rein on my imagination, that I never permitted myself to build on such a sandy foundation any loftier ideas than those proper to an English lieutenant." In the subsequent court-martial, held for the loss of the ship, an attempt was made by the first lieutenant and pilots to throw the blame on the captain. The following sample (and it is a very fair and characteristic sample) of Trevenen's de- fence, both shows sufficiently the futility of this charge, and adds another to the illustrations al- ready given of the wretched state of the Russian navy at this time. " If I have the charge of the ship, why have steersmen ? If I have to depend on their knowledge, how am / answerable for the consequences? or if I am not to depend on their knowledge, why have I them? Whatever their use, I never conceived myself to have the charge of the ship in pilot water ; nor can I, or shall I, ever conceive it consistent that, having two steersmen —officers whose duty it is to know the place and its appearances — the ship can be supposed to depend upon one who has never seen the place. Had I had no pilots, the ship had been safe." These contemptuous observations, made by t » CRONSTADT, 1790. 267 for the their their irge of [, ever jrsmen ;e and sed to place. le by Trevenen in 1790, must certainly not be inter- preted into any reflection on the later state and conduct of the Russian marine. There is pro- bably no service in which, since the time here spoken of, greater or more rapid improvement has taken place. During the last war with France, many very good English seamen spoke of the Russian ships in the Mediterranean as extremely well managed ; and many of their officers served in the British navy as volunteers, with high cha- racter and ability. The result of the court-martial was entirely to acquit the captain and captain- lieutenant, and to adjudge the pilots to lose rank, and the first-lieutenant to lose promotion, for a year. This court-martial was held at Cronstadt in the middle of January, 1790 ; but it appears that the sentence could not have been issued till the end of March. Captain Trevenen had been in the meantime appointed to the command of the Natron Menea, a ship, it is believed, of the same force with the Rodislaff. In an interview with Count Chernichew, March 21, Trevenen told him that he could not think of fitting out another ship while the court-martial was sitting; and in this interview he moreover avowed a total indifference for the Russian service, in which he said that he saw nothing but toil, misery, and envy, and added that lie only wished to quit the service in peace. 268 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TEEVENEN. A feeling of disappointment at not having been promoted, at the end of the preceding campaign, to a higher rank, was doubtless at the root of all this poignant expression. Both he himself, and the personal friends whom he had made in Russia, thought that both the services which he had al- ready rendered on the Swedish coast — which, if not brilliant, were very arduous — and the mag- nitude of the force which had been destined for him in the ensuing campaign, had fiilly entitled him to the advancement to which he had looked. If the voyage of discovery, in contemplation of which he had come to Russia, had been carried into effect, the command so intrusted to him would have given him a charge equal to that usually given to a rear-admiral ; and they thought that this consideration also would have tended to reconcile every candid mind to his promotion. But the present of a gold sword from the Empress was the only recompense of his past services which he obtained. On the announcement of the result of the court-martial, he assumed the command of the Natron Menea; and he appears to have supposed for a time that, as soon as the season for naval operations in the Baltic should begin, he would be put at the head of the squadron which had been promised to him. ':!'•• f- r \— - '--, ::'■!••' i J ^- , CHAPTER VI. FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF NAVAL OPERATIONS IN MAY, 1790, TO HIS DEATH. The Russian fleet was at this time divided into two parts, of which the one part, under Tchitchagoff, was laid up at Revel, and the other part, under Admiral Kruze, at Cronstadt. The Natron Menea was in this second division, which consisted of eighteen or twenty ships of the line. The Swedes had the power of commencing operations, and the campaign opened by a daring though irregular attack made by them on the Revel squadron, in the hope or expectation of destroying it before a junction could be effected with the Cronstadt portion of the fleet. One con- sequence of this unexpected attack was to put aside all thoughts of the separate command which it had been intended to confer on Captain Tre- venen. He had anticipated the probability of such an attack being made, and had pointed out the importance of guarding against it; but Tchitchagoff had taken his measures so ill, that 270 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. if the Duke of Sudermania, who commanded the Swedes, had possessed a tolerable degree of nau- tical skill, he might have made a serious im- pression. The Duke, however, on his part, was precipitate, and consequently received a check, and retreated with the loss of one line-of-battle ship. He then sailed with all expedition up the Gulf of Finland, and appeared off Cronstadt be- fore the fleet under Admiral Kruze was well under weigh. Trevenen was at this moment at Petersburgh. He had suffered severely from a return of the pain in his breast, and was compelled to nurse himself carefully. Before he could reach Cron- stadt his ship seems to have left the port, but he quickly followed in a yacht, and joined in good time. On May 23, the fleet of the enemy was seen at no great distance. Kruze, who had served seven years iii the British navy, and was an officer of great merit and high character, gallantly re- solved on an immediate attack, although the Swedes had twenty-two ships of the line and eight large frigates, whilst his own force amounted to only sixteen sail of the line and nine frigates. An action followed, in which the Swedes were totally defeated, but, through the backwardness or un- skilfulness of some of the Russian captains, the blow was not followed up. This ignorance or COAST OF FINLAND, 1790. 271 i the nau- I im- ■j, was ibeck, battle ip the it be- } well burgh. of the nurse Cron- but he 1 good seen at I seven icer of ;ly re- ;h the |d eight ited to An totally ir un- [ns, the ice or hesitation gave confidence to the beaten enemy, who, taking advantage of a change of wind, made an indecisive attack on the Russians in the after- noon of the same day, and another on the day following, but with no better success. Tchiteha- gofF and the Revel fleet were now near at hand. The Swedes, therefore, to avoid the risk of being placed between the two fleets, rashly took shelter in Wyburgh Bay, in Russian Finland, although this bay was on a coast wholly in possession of Russian troops, where no supplies could be ob- tained, and whence escape was impossible, if the Russian commander, after the junction of the whole force, had acted with common prudence or spirit. " Thus the Swedes," says Trevenen, in a letter to Mr. Farquharson, " by favour of a fog and calm which succeeded, and the assistance of their flotilla, were permitted to retire towards Wyburg, where we followed them as slowly as you please, but with so little other necessary pre- caution, that, in the finest weather in the world, two of our ships grounded, and it required six hours of the same fine weather to get them off again. Thank God, the fine weather did last long enough. " Were I to dwell upon every folly we have committed, or rather every necessary thing we have left undone, since we came here, I should never have done. It is much more agreeable to '^^lg^^^f^V7J^i'T^^W?l!^T':-^if 71™^ B»v^rp.^-^S^ ;. w -«^_-:. ,.rjjyT#^t,Tpi=fT 272 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. praise than to blame. Admiral Knize showed much resolution, coolness, and intrepidity, in the conduct of his fleet, which was rendered the more difficult to him by his having been unprepared with the necessary signals, and therefore obliged to deliver out many of his orders by sending boats. Were he to command a fleet again, I should much like to be his signal captain, in which place I think I could be more useful than as commander of a single ship, that department having been ex- ceedingly defective with him. " I have written to both Counts (Besborodka, and Chernichew), but much more particularly to Besborodka, and have told him everything we have to do ; I have asserted the certainty of our destroying the Swedes by a proper mode of attack, which I have offered to project and carry into execution, as soon as we are brought near enough to reconnoitre the enemy's situation more particularly. I should be quite sure of succeed- ing if I were seconded. But it cannot be. They cannot give me the command, nor would old Tchitchagoff consent to be taught what he does not know. Because he beat the Swedes at anchor, he imagines every fleet at anchor to be invincible; whereas, unless both wings are so secured as not to be attacked separately, such a position is good for nothing. Now, I only require the assistance of our galley fleet to keep theirs employed, and a I' COAST OF FINLAND, 1790. 273 battery upon the land to keep that wing of the Swedes which extends to it at a distance, and then, besides sending different machines to carry fire and confusion amongst them, I would fall upon that wing with a much superior force, and should have no doubt of beating it ; after which the rest would fall of course. Of the certainty of this plan I am fiilly convinced, and that it would be attended with little loss." It is almost needless to add that all this plan came to nothing. It was Tchitchagoff's calcu- lation that want of supplies would soon compel the Swedes to attempt to force their way out of the bay, and that he would then be able to act with more advantage than by attacking them in their station ; and indeed all the Russian officers appear at this time to have thought themselves sure of their prey. The fleet therefore anchored, but occasionally got under sail, and approached the enemy, as proper passages could be found among the rocks and shoals. In the meantime Captain Trevenen's services in the engagement of May 23, and on the following days, had obtained for him from the Empress the knighthood of the 3rd order of St. Vladimir, and he had also the satis- faction of seeing his captain — Lieutenant Aikin, advanced to the rank of second captain. All these actions were fought so near Cronstadt that the guns were distinctly heard at that place, and even T 274 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. at Petersburgh. During almost the whole, how- ever, of this period, and to the very day of the fatal engagement of June 22, Trevenen himself had been very ill. He says in his private journal of the date of May 24, '* This is a cruel situation, so ill and weak as I am, to be obliged night and day to attend to the duty of my ship, and in such an anxious moment as the present, when we are before the enemy, who now seem bearing down to attack us. My head aches and my blood is hot, and it seems to me that it is only by absolute starva- tion that I preserve myself from a fever and sore throat. At another time I might trust to my officers. In the present I must see everything with my own eyes." On May 26, he was obliged, by a sore throat and fever, to take to his bed. June 7, he writes as follows : " My sore throat attacked me again immediately after 6ur junction with the Revel fleet, a natural consequence of the fatigues I had undergone, never having taken off my clothes from Petersburgh till we came to an anchor off Galley. I had a great mind to return to Petersburgh to get cured, but the desire of seeing this affair brought to an end detained me here from day to day. At last I got better again." He then enters in his journal into a detail of the great incapacity shown in the management of both fleets, and adds, speaking of the Swedes, " Surely they can never escape from us." He COAST OF FINLAND, 1790. 275 how- F the mself urnal ation, it and I such re are »wn to )t, and starva- id sore to my rything )bliged, lis bed. throat unction of the iken otf to an return esire of ned me again." of the ent of [Swedes, He says afterwards that his ship was jjlaced under Admiral Pouliskin who had been ordered to block up the north-west passage into the bay, and was to be the leading ship. On the 13th, ho writes as fol- lows : " Pouliskin made the signal for all captains: Not being able to go myself, I sent my second captain, Aikin, who assisted at a council called to consider the propriety of attacking the enemy on this side. The council decided that the measure was unadvisable in itself, and impracticable in the manner which Admiral Tchitchagoff' had proposed. I could not be of the council, but, as soon as I understood the purport of it, I sent my opinion in writing, agreeing with the opinions of the council, with my reasons for so doing, recommending and offering to lead an attack on the other side, i. e., in the large passage, where the enemy could be attacked with greater advantage, as we might fall with a great force upon a small part of his, only taking the necessary measures. Admiral Pouliskin sent me back his thanks for my com- munication, saying, he looked upon it to be so right, and of so much consequence, that he should send it immediately to Admiral Tchitchagoff." Afterwards, in an interview with Pouliskin on the 16th, Trevenen recommended strongly the forti- fying Rond Island and Kriescrost, which appears to have been one of the measures before alluded to ; but nothing was done. The last entry in his T 2 270 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. ( ( jonnml is of the date of a quarter past seven on the morning of the 2l9t, and is as follows : ** The Swedes, after a night battle with our galley fleet, all getting under weigh, with an apparent intention to force their way out. Indeed, pressed as they are for provisions, they have now nothing else to do, and I have no doubt of their taking the present opportunity. It will be now seen that my advice should have been taken of fortifying the island Rond." But to proceed with the relation. On June 22, about six in the morning, the Swedes began to show a determination to force a passage out of the bay, the Duke of Sudermania being at length driven by necessity to take this vigorous measure. Admiral Pouliskin, with a division of five ships, had the charge of defending the passage, which is rendered very narrow by a bank which lay be- tween the two fleets. The Natron Menea was the advanced ship of this division, which appears to have been judiciously placed. The wind was north-east, right out of the bay. As the Swedish ships got under weigh, they formed a line of battle. They were led in the most gallant manner by Admiral Modee, and received with steadiness the fire of the Russians, each ship pressing sail as soon as she had passed the advanced squadron. The Natron Menea had of course, from her situa- tion, to bear the first and hottest fire of the whole COAST OF FINLAND, 170O. 277 Swedish lino, niul liad returned it with vigour; when about ten o'clock, the wind freshening and coming more to the eastward, the second-captain, Aikin, who commanded the guns below, found a change of position necessary, and came on deck to speak to Captain Trovenen on the subject. The change was made, and almost immediately afterwards Trevenen, still accompanied by Aikin, advanced to the forepart of the quarter-deck to give other orders. At this instant, a fatal shot, which from its descending direction was ap- parently almost spent, first took off the head of one of the quarter-masters, then stripped the flesh of Trevenen's thigh from the hip bone half way down, and afterwards struck off Capt. Aikin's foot. The confusion which followed amongst the crew can scarcely be described. The men perceiving the fall of their commander, whom they loved for his goodness to them as much as they admired him for his gallantry, made a general exclamation of grief, and were crowding round him. He as- sured them that the wound was of no consequence, reassumed his sword, which he had let fall, and causing himself to be covered with his cloak, where he lay upon deck, encouraged his men, and said that he would continue to command them. The loss of blood, however, soon obliged him to be taken below. Unfortunately there was no surgeon on board, the surgeon of this ship 278 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. being now, in his turn of duty, in charge of the sick who were lodged in some tents which had been pitched on shore. Consequently both Tre- venen and Capt. Aikin remained, as it appears, for some time without assistance. There is no reason, however, to think that any assistance could have been effectual. He had a large key in a side breeches pocket which was struck by the shot, and considerably extended the wound and mangled the flesh, and Capt. Aikin says in a letter to Sir Charles Penrose, that " from every report of the faculty, the cavity was too large for any human means to save his life." The surgeon seems to have come on board about two or three hours after the wound was received ; and is supposed to have evinced by his manner that he dreaded the consequences ; and Trevenen then wrote a few lines to his wife, which he intrusted to the care of M. Otto de Sass, who was among the friends who attended on him. This young man was the son of the Baron de Sass to whose friendly atten- tions Trevenen had been so much indebted during his long detention in Courland three years before. On the following day Capt. Dennison had an opportunity of visiting his friend, and left with him his own surgeon, Mr. Macdougall. On this day Admiral Pouliskiii also called on him, and promised that the ship should be immediately ordered for Cronstadt, where he might receive *« COAST OF FINLAND, 1790. 279 receive every aid, if aid were possible, to his recovery, and where he might at the least die in the midst of his friends, and perhaps be able to take a last farewell of his wife and child. But this promise was not kept, though there was not the least ex- cuse to be made for not keeping it. His friends and attendants who saw how much he was chagrined, and indeed at times irritated, at the delay of the order, endeavoured at last to per- suade him that it had arrived, and that the ship was under sail for the desired port. He then ordered a compass to be brought to him, and found that he was deceived. From almost the moment at which he received his wound he did not flatter himself with the hope of recovery, and often assured his attendants that he had none. Great, however, as this disappointment was, it only clouded his mind at transient intervals. The bystanders declared that nothing could ex- ceed the general serenity and magnanimity with which he supported his sufferings and the im- minent approach of his last hour. During this trying period, he frequently begged the most affectionate farewell to be conveyed to his wife ; and urged his young friends De Sass and Zeddle- man (this Mr. Zeddleman was a nephew of Mr. Farquharson) to pursue through life a steady course of virtue and religion, as the way to meet its end with composure. 280 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. In this state Capt. Trevenen lingered, not in very severe pain, but gradually becoming weaker, till June 28, when he expired at 6 a.m., in the presence of De Sass, Zeddleman, and Macdougall. His senses continued perfect to the last, and his last words, spoken about five minutes before his death, were, " my dear, my dear." Thus ended the short though active life of James Trevenen. Immediately after his death his body was embalmed, and a few days after- wards the Topaslowe frigate was ordered to take the corpse, together with Capt. Aikin, M. de Sass, and Mr. Zeddleman, to Cronstadt. On the 4th of July, the body was interred with all military honours in the British bur^mg-ground at Cronstadt. The solemn ceremony was attended by several admirals, and all the military of high rank, by his father-in-law, Mr. Farquharson — who, by a rare instance of misfortune, had to lament at this time the death of his other son-in-law, Brigadier Denni- son, who, in a desperate action with the Swedish frigates and galleys, had been shot through the head on the very day of Trevenen's death-^and by many other sorrowing friends. Sir Charles Penrose, in concluding the memoir of his dear friend from which the preceding sum- mary of his life has been extracted, says, " that CONCLUSION. 281 though the lapse of years has smoothed over the traces of the various events, time cannot abate the warmth of a friendship which began in earliest youth, and which will not fade till the last solemn hour shall arrive, which shall again restore him to his friend." He then adds that he cannot lay down his pen without expressing it as his opinion that few men ever possessed more entirely those various talents and dispositions which are calculated both to render a man beloved in private life, and esteemed and admired by the world. " He was firm and resolute in his actions, clear and perspicuous in his ideas and expressions ; his mind was of the finest texture, but his heart the most affectionate and kind, and his feelings ten- derly alive to the gentlest impressions." " Wolfe and Nelson," he concludes, " have frequently oc- curred to me in writing of him. Like them he not only was wise and brave, but like them also was ardently beloved and admired by those under his command. What Cowper beautifully says of Wolfe, we may justly apply to the other two. 'Wolfe, whene'er he fought, Put so much of his heart into his act, That all were swift to follow whom all loved.' " lemoir |ig sum- that That this very same impression of Capt. Tre- venen's character was the impression made by it 282 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. in Russia was strikingly evidenced to his sister, Lady Penrose, even so lately as the year 1818. She says, in a letter to her sister of that date from Malta, " We had an evening visit from Mr. and Mrs. Morewood. He (Mr. Morewood) left Petersburgh in 1790, under impressions vv^hich he should never lose. He said that our poor brother's character inspired every one with enthusiasm, and that if he had lived, he must have been the first man of his age — -generally grave, but when he smiled no one could forget it." The following letter from Trevenen himself to his wife has in it tones which are almost too sacred for the press. But it was written almost immediately before the engagement in which he was killed, and, though by what means is not known, found its way into one of the newspapers of the time. " June 21, 1790, on the Swedish Coast. " My DEAR Wife, " If ever you receive this, most probably I shall be no more. To-morrow it is likely we shall again meet the enemy, and as the event of every- thing here is uncertain, I dispose of an hour to this purpose rather than that of rest, though that is, from the want of it, become a very necessary thing. In affairs of so important a nature we CONCLUSION. 283 must despise all inferior considerations. I shud- der, my beloved, when I reflect on your situation, should anything befall me. God of heaven guard thee ! I have thought that in such a ease, a posthumous letter of mine would be of more effect to assuage the tempest of your mind thaii anything else in the world. Therefore, no less as a duty of humanity than as a friend of your peace, I beg you to hear me a few moments with calmness. " I figure to myself the thousand various ideas that have crowded in confusion on your mind, on hearing of my fate. You have represented to yourself the happiness we might have enjoyed if we had retired to live happily in the country in poverty. You have imagined that if you had pressed me you might have prevailed, and that from the want only of a little perseverance you have lost all your earthly happiness. No such thing, my love. God has ordained it otherwise, and it was not possible for you to alter his decrees ; therefore upbraid not yourself; let my words be engraven on your memory, let them make a deep impression on your heart, for they are those of reason cited at the tribunal of death, to declare the truth of nature and God's providence. " I have often, since our marriage, reflected on the happiness of my situation, and that it was in my power, by quitting the service, to make it / ^ 284 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. durable and secure, but found it otherwise. Pomp and honours I could easily have despised, but the opinion of the world I could not so easily waive ; and that made me recollect that God has given us evil and good, and He having mixed them together in the cup, it is in vain for us to pretend to separate the one from the other, and enjoy in this world a state He has only destined for another. It is there I shall await for it with you. " It is in vain for us to speculate too much on possible cases. Heaven only knows whether, if we had adopted our plan of retirement, the evil genius that hangs over this world might not have spoiled those pleasures we had fancied, by dis- contents arising from speculations on what we had possibly given up. It is infinitely too much to pretend that we should positively have been happy. It is foolish and presumptuous. It is enough for man to know that ' Virtue alone is happinesss below,' and that • Whatever is, is right.' Say so with me, my love, and you may yet bring your mind to an enviable state of com- posure and resignation to the will of God, and still think of your husband with patience, and even pleasure. Regard yourself as an inhabitant of another world, sojourning awhile in this. Be serious, solid, meditating, and reasonable, and you will be comforted, you will rely on Him as your friend and your hope. my beloved ! you are \\ CONCLUSION. 285 i, IS may com- and and )itant Be |d you your lu are my all in all here, and I trust we shall meet in another world to separate no more : fill yourself with this idea ; converse with God in meditation, but to the world resume a decent appearance of comfort and resignation. " I think always that being already in the ser- vice, it was absolutely impossible for me to quit it till the war was over, and that it thus became necessary for me to take this bitter pill, although the road to happiness seemed open to me with you. Everything here is illusive; God alone is stable, never-failing, and eternal. My dear angel, whom I am already thinking of as in another world, adieu ! I am not well, from cold and pain in the breast, and fatigue drives me to rest. The Almighty keep you. — — " My beloved, — to open a new source of comfort to your despairing soul is my design in writing this ; therefore I resume it as soon as possible. And im I vain in thinking that for me you have been in despair, and could not be comforted ? No, I am not ; for I know the peculiarity of your disposition, the vivacity of your feelings, the tenderness and delicacy of your soul, and all the force of impres- sion that my death will make on your quickness and sensibility. I tremble to think of it, but I know, too, that I alone cannot comfort you, and I hope that after this you will be comforted. "When the tempest that shakes your nature 286 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. shall be finishod, then call with a determined reso- lution (because it is right) — call your mind to a strict examination of itself, of its situation in this world, and its hope in the next. You were placed here, like any other mortal, to undergo your share of pain and pleasure, and from the delicacy of your frame, and polish of your understanding, to feel the extreme of each. Do not, therefore, repine at the cup of bitterness, and adore in humility the supreme wisdom that ordains it. " • The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.' I cannot flatter myself that we shall ever enjoy ourselves in peaceful tranquillity, for that would be too great a happiness to fall to the lot of any one in this world. Exactly so, my beloved. Our minds, loving and affectionate by nature, were also so much exercised by reflection, and so much tem- pered by religion, that there hardly seems any- thing which could very much have disturbed our happiness, except the momentary shocks of accident. We were not inclined to hide our faults from ourselves ; each sought not to dissemble the faults of the other, but to extenuate and pardon them, to account for, and excuse them, not with an idea of self-superiority, but in the mental hu- mility that taught us we were each frail, and that it is natural for man to err. We were inclined to bear and forbear. CONCLUSION. 287 " My love, this was too great a happiness to last long. It was not of this world ; and I am first called into the next. Grieve not then, my love, but say to yourself * God has done this, and shall I repine at his dispensation ? Shall I, presump- tuous, pretend to murmur, because I am not allowed my own mode of happiness in a world which He has not made fit for it, but which He has meant only to prepare us for an hereafter?' This is not, my dear, the only way the Almighty had to call his ordinance into effect. And this I now say, because there seems something more par- ticularly terrible in the manner of a violent death (a death which might have been avoided as it seems) than in that of a natural and lingering one, where the mind of the afflicted has long been preparing by degrees for the stroke it suffers. And you, too, will perhaps reproach yourself for not having con- tinued with more perseverance your entreaties for my quitting the service. But, my love, everything is in the hand of God, and even if you will think that this might have been otherwise, yet you must think at the same time that as his providence has so ordained it, it might have been brought to pass in a thousand ways, in peace as well as in war, as easily in the midst of the soundest health and greatest security as in sickness or danger. Therefore add not to your distress by needless i: I 1^ 288 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. reproaches, for, my love, you could not have altered one jot from the dispensations of the Most High. " JAMES TREVENEN." Here, then, closes the scene. Or if any more or other last words respecting this short-lived but noble being can be desirable or desired, they may be looked for in the brief accounts of him which were published soon after his death in journals and newspapers. His friend Mr. Samwell drew up a short notice of his life and character, which was inserted in the " Gentleman's Magazine" for August, 1790. The following passages are extracted from a letter inserted by his friend M. Pictet, in the journal of Geneva, of the date of October in the same year. " Several persons must have known at Geneva, a few years ago, a young Englishman whose name was Trevenen. He had performed the last voyage round the world with Captain Cook, and united the most distinguished talents in his profession as a seaman, the most striking modesty, the greatest sweetness of manner, and the keenest sensibility, clothed with a reserved and calm exterior. The valuable qualities of M. Trevenen gained him in a short time many friends in Geneva. I was of the number; and among CONCLUSION. 289 other advantages which I derived from his friend- ship is that of having learned from him an infinite number of circumstances respecting the voyage, which have not been published." This letter then goes on to detail briefly the account of his journey to Russia and of his death. The following letter from Sir Sydney Smith, then serving as a volunteer in the Swedish fleet, may also be transcribed. It appears to have been written to a friend in London, and to have been inserted in one of the English newspapers. " Swenksund, July 18, 1790. " You have doubtless heard of our defeat on the 3rd and 4th instant, and subsequent victory on the 9th and 10th. We, however, consider the former as more than equivalent to the latter, as in that engagement our old Portsmouth contemporary Trevenen, the very soul of the Russian fleet, re- ceived a wound, which in a few days, at the age of about thirty, put a period to as bright a career of glory as ever adorned the annals of naval history. Poor fellow ! I ever admired his character, and re- vered his abilities, although my junior in age and naval rank. He had formed himself on the charac- ter of old Saunders, and it is here generally al- lowed that his intrepidity in attack, his coolness in action, and activity in pursuit, have been the great bulwark to Russia, through which we could never u i'u 290 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. penetrate. Nor could the King [of Sweden], whose character and conduct are here adored, have thought of attacking the enemy again so soon, but for Trevenen's wound, as ho had been heard to say that there was no eluding his vigilance. On the 3rd instant, we should have escaped with very little loss, had he not concluded what we were about, and slipped his cable, in which he was followed by four or five others, your old friend Dennison among them, whilst the remainder coldly stayed to weigh their anchors, whereas, had he been properly supported, we should none of us have escaped. We are told here that he received his wound from the last shot fired from our ships *. It was in his thigh, and not at first thought dan- gerous, but his weak state of body brought on a fever which carried him off. Thank God the shot came not from my ship." * It will be observed that iu this letter, as indeed in many other accounts of this action and campaign, the dates are given according to the old style, not the new. It is to be observed, also, that the details as here stated are not strictly accurate. It waa not absolutely the last shot fired by which the wound was inflicted, and it also appears that the Natron Menea'a position was changed before the action, during which she only veered her cable and did not slip it. NOTES. Note A. p. 183. REV. JOHN TREVENEN OF RO^EWARNE. The Rev. John Trevenen was for many yeare curate of the populous parish of Oamborne, in which Rosewarne is situate. He died suddenly, December 4, 1776. His widow Elizabeth, survived him many years, and died at Carwethenack, March 25, 1799. They liad six children : Elizabeth, married Sir Charles Penrose. Jane, married the Rev. John Penrose. John, of Helston and Bony then, who married first Lydia Johns, and afterwards Mary Sandys. Thomas, who became rector of Cardynham, and afterwards of Mawgan in Kirrier. He married Cordelia Grylls. James. Matthew. Note B. p. 310. MATTHEW TREVENEN : AND OF THE TWO ELDEST BROTHERS, JOHN AND THOMAS. Matthew Trevenen was two years younger than James. He had been educated at Westminster School, and afterwards at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his two elder brothers had also been educated. John and Thomas were Westminster scholars, and John had been captain of the school. John was elected to Trinity in 1776, and Thomas in 1776. John took U2 292 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. no degree. Thomas took his B,A. degree in 1780, and his M.A. in 1786. Matthew his B.A. in 1783. Matthew had been intended for the church ; and no young man ever looked forward to that sacred profession with either a purer or a more reasonable hope of making himself acceptable in it both to God and man. But it has been seen in the preceding pages that he was carried off, at an early age, by a most rapid consumption, of which the first symptoms appear to have shown themselves in the middle of 1785. In the September of that year he went to Bristol hot wells, accompanied by his mother and eldest sister ; but was there recommended to return to Cornwall, before the cold weather should set in. He could, however, get no farther than Oakhampton, where, after lingering nearly three weeks, he died at the inn, October 27. He passed the last fortnight in a state of the greatest exhaustion and debility, but in perfect serenity of mind. To the comfort which he derived from the affectionate attendance of his mother and sister, was also here added that of being joined first by his eldest brother's wife and Mr. Penrose, and afterwards by his two eldest brothers. Every member of that now long vanished society from which this most amiable young man was thus suddenly taken away appears to have retained a most lively and lasting im- pression of his great agreeableness and varied accomplishments. His felicity is said to have been almost universal. He had wit and humour always ready, and at the same time always kind, was always cheerful, never difiSdent, yet never assuming; and had a most gay and gentle play of character, which at once amused the imaginations of his friends, and attracted their re- gard. One of his songs, which shall be here subjoined, is a very sufificient evidence that these qualities were not unjustly ascribed to him. NOTE B. 293 THE LADIES OF ANCIENT TIMES, AND THE MODERN FINE LADIES. A New Song. By M. T. {To the Tune of the " Old and New Courtier.") I. With an old song made by an old ancient pate, Of old ancient customs long since out of date. Of ancient times, when women did not scold nor prate, For the ladies of our time are grown very impudent of late : Unlike the ladies of old times, And the old ancient ladies. I II. With an old fashion for ladies to stay abroad at school, At least long enough to learn not to play the fool ; With an old governess who had absolute dominion and rule, And looked as grave and demure as an old swan in a pool; Like the ladies of old times. And the old ancient ladies. III. With an old sampler, whereon was work'd the Lord's Prayer, And the Ten Commandments, done in small space, with neatness and care. !;* ' 294 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. And mark'd in the corner wth a lock of the lady's own hair, And many little stags and hounds taking the air, Like the ladies, &c. IV. With a healthy complexion and colour unfaded. Which needed not a calash or umbrella to shade it, With a head no higher than nature made it, With a plain gown for workdays, and a Sunday's one brocaded, Like the ladies, &c. U' With an old custom of getting up at five o'clock every day, And of coming down stairs without the least delay. With a long walk before breakfast, be it December or May. — Wherefore the ladies of those times were healthy and gay. Like the ladies, &c. VI. With an old receipt-book very well wrote. How to make a codlin tart ; how to cure a sore throat ; How to preserve either cold or hot ; And how to cure the bite of a mad dog ; which no family should be without : Like the ladies, &c. VII. With modesty and patience, and tolerably resign 'd, Till their gallants should think proper to declare their mind. NOTE B. 295" own But the ladies of our days are not so inclin'd, As by the ensuing ditty you shall quickly find : Like the ladies of modem times, And the modem fine ladies. one svery 3r or and VIII. Who talk a great deal of nonsense, and think it very pat, Which is called by the young gallants very agreeable chit-chat ; Who, if question'd in their catechism, look very flat, And declare with an air of surprise we know nothing of that: Like the ladies, &c. IX. With a new fashion of going to school to learn outlandish dances, Ballance, Rigadoon, Pas Grave, and other prances. With a new governess, who writes plays and romances. Legendary tales, elegies, sonnets, and such like idle fancies : Like the ladies, &c. 1 it; imily their X. With a new muslin gown, never work'd on for more than a minute. With a wonder how we ever had courage to begin it, With a purse declared very pretty bv all who have seen it. Though, perhaps, when 'tis finished, there is nothing to put in it : Like the ladies, cy^c. u ii.% U 296 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TBEVENEN. XL With the best French rouge, and pearl powder for the face, With a tete de mouton, poudre d'Artois, and pommade de Grasse, With new flashy gowns and souffle gauze to look like lace, Balloon hats, and steel collars to keep the head in its place : Like the ladies, &c. XII. With a new custom of sitting up all night at quadrille, And coming down stairs next day in dishabille. — No wonder the ladies now-a-days look so very ill. And that they have fainting fits and hysterics whenever they will. Like the ladies, &c. XIIL With new scribble-scrabble letters, full of sentiment and stuff. Of which, when you have read two lines, you've read enough : " My dearest creature, I have got the sweetest new muff: "Apropos! There's an old fashion new reviv'd: 'tis Queen Elizabeth's ruff." Like the ladies, &c. XIV. With a thousand more knick-knackeries all so modish and rare. Would have made our sober grandfathers to wonder, scold, or Bwear; NOTE B. 297 But now-a-days the men methinks are still madder than the fjEiir; Else these gay ladies would lead apes — I can't in decency say where : Like the ladies of modem times, And the modem fine ladies*. In the sort of biography which this volume is meant to be, it would be most unfair to the memory of the two elder brothers of this most affectionate family to conclude this note without some, though brief, yet particular mention of them. John, the eldest (see note A, p. 291), was bom October 26, 1754. Soon after he left Cambridge he settled at Helston, and afterwards removed to Bonython. He was of no profession; but few men can have ever discharged better, or with more real dignity, the various offices and duties of a country gentle- man's life ; and no children have ever treasured the recol- lection of their father with greater or more reverential love than his have ever felt, and feel towards him. He was very remarkable, as there must be many who still remember, both for the benignity of his aspect and the nobleness of his car- riage. After 'having lived many years at Bonython, he returned to Helston, where he died Febmary 10, 1825. A letter still * This last stanza was added by the late most lamented Mr. J. J. Conybeare, the elder brother of the present Dean of Llandaff. Matthew Trevenen had not only the power of humorous composition which these lines indicate, but was also a more than ordinarily skilful musician, and excelled in drawing. It is said of him, also, that he had the talent of caricature in a high degree, but that he would not indulge himself in it. i 298 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. M preserved, which was written a few days after his death to one of his near relations, gives an impressive account both of the patience with which he bore the acute sufferings of a long illness, and of the many testimonies of grateful respect for a lost friend which were paid at his funeral. Thomas, the second brother, was bom February 15, 1756. He was instituted to the living of Cardynham, in 1782, and continued to reside there till 1803, when he removed to Mawgan in Kirrier, where he died September 30, 1816, ex- hausted by a long series of paralytic attacks. He had been deprived of speech by this disease for a period of three years and a half, and for a considerable portion of that time had been in a state of helplessness; but his intellect, and certainly his affections, had been left unimpaired, and nothing could exceed the equanimity and resignation of his truly Christian character. Admiral Penrose, among the recollections of his most intimate friends, speaks of him as one of his dearest, and as distinguished by " the most gentle yielding in all matters in which the wants and wishes of others were concerned, coupled with the most inflexible adherence to right, he ever met witn. So intimately blended in him," he adds, " were all the thou- sands of little charities and benevolences that sweeten and adorn domestic and social life that there is no prominent point to seize on." The compiler of these memoirs can never forget the union always visible in him of the most quiet playfulness and of extreme meekness, a meekness which, by persons who had not knoAvn him long and intimately, might have been almost attributed to tameness or insensibility. But it was the meekness of self command. It had been the unceasing struggle of his boyhood and his youth to subdue a great and even passionate quickness of nature ; and in this religious struggle he gained the victory. His affectionate daughter, the untiring nurse of his long and trying illness, is able to testify that, though she has seen him strongly moved and keenly pained, she nerer saw his temper overcome. NOTES C AND D. 299 Note C. p. 348. UNPOPULARITY OF GU8TAVUS IN FINLAND. In the letter of Admiral Greig, from which this sentence is extracted, the subjoined details are also given of the unpopu- larity of the King of Sweden at this time. " On Thursday the 17th, the King left Helsingfors, and set out for Abo on his. return to Stockholm, where the defection that began among the Finland regiments has already spread, and by all accounts become very serious. As the King's presence alone in Stock- holm, without the support of the military, and the principal officers attached to his person, will, I am apt to think, mther irritate than appease the tumults of the people, dissatisfied with a war begun by the King's caprice, and prosecuted with- out the success he had made them expect, and which in all probability may end in limiting his power to the old constitu- tion, it is, therefore, of the utmost importance to prevent as much as possible the return of the troops to Stockholm. " There is no cessation of arms, but only with the Finland regiments, who have absolutely refused the King to serve against Russia, and demanded of him to assemble a diet of the states, which he absolutely refused, before he went away. They then sent a deputation to the Swedish army at Hogsfors, inviting them to accede to the confederacy, and oblige the King to assemble the states ; but T have not yet heard if they have agreed to it. But at any rate they seem not willing to fight, and I imagine that the general defection has reached the fleet also." Note D. p. 265. WEECK OF THE R0DISI.AFF. A not uninstructive account of the assistance, or rather the no assistance, rendered on this occasion from Revel towards the saving this ship, will be found in the following letter from Trevenen to Admiral Tchitchagoff, written before the en- deavour to save her had been given up. t f H m 800 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. h\ , " Sir, — My last report I sent by the Slava frigate. It was delayed some time by contrary winds. In it I have answered to what you ask me in your despatch ; and as to the chance of saving the ship, I have told you that it depends on your sending us pumps from the shore, as I tried in vain to get them from Brigadier MacaroiF. I have before said that I believe the ship to be broke, but, as that is not absolutely certain, it is necessary that I should make an effort to deter- mine it. If we can diminish the water, there is yet a possi- bility of bringing her into Revel ; but for this purpose I must tell your Excellency that expedition is absolutely necessary ; for if there comes a strong breeze from the north the ship will certainly be altogether lost. I cannot help expressing my surprise that being near such a port as Revel, where there is an established admiralty, I have yet received no assistance from thence. I have not a single warp in the ship, and if we lighten her, I must have warps. Our lower deck-ports are partly under water, and although caulked, yet the water has washed out the oakum, and my few carpenters and caulkers are insufficient to stop them, nor have we here planks, nails, or oakum. A shipbuilder can better judge of the state of the ship than my carpenter, or myself, and if she be floated can judge better of her leaks and deficiencies. And in all cases like this which I have ever seen before, no time was lost in sending from the nearest port all sorts of officers, men, and stores that might in any way assist in saving the ship, or getting out her stores if she was lost. Yet I have not received the least possible assistance, and whosever fault it may be getting the ship ashore, there is yet another fault will lie elsewhere — I mean the want of proper assistance to save her. " By the time you will have sent us the pumps, everything will be got out of the ship that can be without cutting up the decks. If we find the ship entirely lost, it remains with your Excellency how long the people shall remain fishing up the things in her hold, principally the 25 guns that are there, find NOTE D. 301 how many men you will send. For my own part, neither will my health permit a much longer attendance, nor do I think it at all decent that, after having for so long a time commanded a considerable squadron with the approbation of her Mt^esty, I at once, through the fault of my steersman, find myself degraded to the employment of fishing up two or three casks of salt beef from the hold of a sunken wreck. " I must further tell your Excellency that the season of the year renders it highly dangerous to keep vessels in this riding much longer. My people also are constantly exposed to imminent danger. The frigates do not lie within three versts of the ship, so that I cannot send them backwards and forwards every day, as half the time would be lost by that means. Therefore I am obliged to keep them on board the small vessels that lie near the ship, and there they are huddled together to the detriment of their health ; and as these are changed every day they cannot have their bedding or clothes with them. Add to this that our boats, having served the whole campaign, and having been exposed here to much rough weather, are all leaky, and there is no safety in them when it blows any wind. Now, am I to risk my people in them in such an uncovered place, or my officers or myself? &c., &c. "JAMES TREVENEN." Captain Dennison says in a letter to Mr. Farquharson of the same date, *' It is Providence only that saves ships in this country. The whole squadron escaped by good fortune." n i I. G, Woodfalland Son, Printers, Angel Cuurt, Skinner Street, London. 00, Amigmarlb Strbet, London. April, 1850. MR. MURRAY'S LIST. WORKS IN PREPARATION; LIFE OF ROBERT PLUMER WARD, (Author of "Trcmalne.") WITH HIS rOLlTICAL AND LITERARY CORRESPONDENCE, DIARIES, AND REMAINS. By the Hon. Edmund Phipps. 2 Vols. 8vo. FOUR YEARS' ADVENTURES OP A HUNTER IN THE WILDERNESS OF SOUTH AFRICA. WITH NOTICES OF THE NATIVE TRIBES, AND ANECDOTES OF THE CHASE OF THE LION, ELEPHANT, HIPPOPOTAMUS, RHINOCEROS, &o. By Ronaleyn Gordon Gumming, Esq., of Altire. With Illustrations. 2 Yuls. Post 8to. An Extract fi-om Lieut. Napier's Jtecent WorJc on South Africa. " Of all the adventurous, sporting, exploring, or trading travellers (whether Dutch or English) who have penetrated Into the interior of Southern Africa, none can compete with the pow celebrated Mr. Gumming.* * * " I remarked, as we walked along, I had heard so many marvellous stories put down to his account, that unless confirmed by himself, they were certainly beyond my powers of belief. "'What an interesting work your journal would make,' observed I, 'why do you not publish itP' " ' I may do so,' replied he, ' some of these days, when I get tired of my wandering mode of existence ; * and no doubt, from the fluency of his conversntional powers, Mr. Gumming could handle the pen with as great facility and effect as he has hitherto wielded the rifle. * * • " In this journey, it is said, he has penetrated many hundred miles beyond the highest point reached by any white man. He shot forty-three elephants, three of which only were females, (many of the males carried tusks of enormous size, nicas\iring seven feet in length, and sometimes weighing one hundred pounds each), sixty hippopotami, the finest of the troops to which they belonged having been singled out for slaughter." |. Iff ll Mr. Murray's List of IVorks in Prejmration. CHRISTIANITY IN CEYLON. ITS INTRODUCTION AND PROGHESS UNDER THE I'ORTUOUESE, THE DUTCH, TIJE DHinslI, AND AMKUICAN M18SION8, WITU AN HISTORICAL VIKW OF THE DRAHMINICAL AND DUUDHI8T 8UPeR8TITIONI. By Sir James Emerson Tennent. With lUiutrttionii, I'mt 8vo. ADDRESSES AND CnARGES, BY EDWARD STANLEY, D.D., LATE BISHOP OF NORWICH. WITH A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE. By llev. Arthur Peiiryhn Stanley, M.A. 8vo. HUNGARY: ITS CONSTITUTION AND ITS CATASTROPHE. By Corvinus. 8vo, HISTORY OF POTTERY AND PORCELAIN. MODERN, EUROPEAN, AND ORIENTAL. By Joseph Marryat, Esq. With numerous Coloured Plates imd Wuodcuta. 8to. \ i I it' HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY: EGYPTIAN, ASIATIC, GREEK, ROMAN, ETRUSCAN, AND CELTIC. By Samuel Birch, Esq., With Numerous lUustrntions. 8vo. IB DUTCH, KBIiTlTIOMI. WICH. STROPHE. IN. ric. Mr. Murray's List qf Works in Preparation. LIVES OF THE SUCCESSORS OF MAHOMET. FBOM lUE DEATH OF MAHOMET A.D. OH TO TUB INVAHION OF 6FAU< A.D. 710. By Washington Irving, Esq. Fonnlnii t Companion volume to IrvinK's •• Life of Mabomet." 8to. Quit* Ready. "ThoM wlin have read the life of Mahomet, will find in the following; page* moat of their old •cquAintancci again ciignged, but in a vatll}' grander field of action ; leading ormiea, luhjuguting eoipiret, and dictating I'luni tliv palaces and tlironeg of de|ioiied potentatci. "In constructing his work, which is merely intended for popular use, the author has adopted a form somewhat between biugraphy and chronicle, admitting of personal anecdote, and a greater play of familiar traits and peculiarities, than is considered admissible in the stately walk of history." A uthor't Pre/ace. LIFE OF GENERAL WASHINGTON. By Washington Irving, Esq. 8vo. THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE OP AN ENGLISHMAN DOMESTICATED IN ABYSSINIA. By Mansfield Parkyns, Esq. With Original Sketches made hj th« Author. 8to. LIVES OF VICE-ADMIRAL SIR C. V. PENROSE, K.C.B., AND OF CAPTAIN JAMES TREVENEN. Knight of the Russian Orders of " St. George," and "St. Vladimir." By their Nephew, Rev. John Penrose, M.A. With Portraits. 8to, KUGLER'S HANDBOOK OF ITALIAN PAINTING ILLUSTRATED. Edited by C. L. Eastlake, R.A. New and Carefully Reviied Edition. With numerous Woodcuts. Post 8vo. u 4 Mt. Murray's List of Works in Preparation. HANDBOOK FOR ENGLAND AND WALES. A GUIDE BOOK FOR THE TOURIST, The object of this Work 18 to give an account of the most remarkable Places and most frequented Roads in England — enumerating especially the objects calculated to interest atrangera, and paasing travellers, tbe Historical Associations, &c.., and furnishing plans for Tours aud Summer EIxcursions. bcildingi. Manufactures. Museums and Collections of A rt, Nature, AMTiauiTT. FuBUO Works. Ports and Harbours, docktards. _ * { Expenses. conteyances, ) Excursions, Walks. Points or View. Bo.'.DS. Railroabb, Viaducts, Tunnels, Bridqes. RiVEBS, Lakes, and Canals. Churches, Castles, and Ruins. Skats, Pictures, and Statues. Parks, Gardens, and Trbes. Views, Waterfalls, Caverns. The Cradles and Graves of Remarkable Persons. Battle Fields. Plans of Excursions, Tours, etc. Atvl the betl litiet t8 the author has contrired to present to the reader some eight ond twenty chaptera of most agreeable writing, replete with information on most interesting points. Tlie result is this delectable book, a bright and lively emanation from a happy and a cheerful mind — the unpretending yet highly intereating and amusing ' jottings down ' of an educated traveller while roaming through those lands endeared to all as the cradle of a pure faith or the early abode of the arts and poetry. We may, indeed, say, with perfect justice, that there is an easy gcntlcman-like style about him — a fund of humour combined with correct judgment in the art uf story-telling, which renders him a most acceptable companion even to those who may bo indifferent to the value set upon ancient uncial MSS. and early editions of the fathers." Times. Handbook for London; BY PETER CUNNINGHAM, F.8.A. Ileviied and Enlarged Edition. Compressed tut not Abridged. In One Volume. Post 8vo. 16*. " Mr. Cunningham has brought to bear upon this subject .in immense amount of reading, especially of the poets and essayists of the two last centuries, showing industry and powers of research in the examination of parish papers and other MSS., and discrimination and skill in the use made of the matter collected." Builder. " The ' Handbook ' is so studded with quotations from the old poets and essayists, and with illustrations of bygone manners and historical events, that it may be taken up at any time for amusement as well as information. It is a sort of distillation from English history, anecdote, and biography, with a sj)rinkling of ancient gossip and scandal !" Jnvernesi Courier. An Eskimaux and English Vocabulary. A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS, Oblong 16mo. 3<. 6(1. A Physicia* 's Holiday ; OR A MONTH IN SWITZERLAND DURING THE YEAR 1848, BY JOHN FORBES, M.D. Second Edition, With Illustrations. Post 8vo. 8jr. Sd. " Those who contciiiplatc a tlioiougli or a partial tour through Switzerland will find A Pkyaician^s Holiday very useful. Dr. Forbes gives some good general advice to the tourist, economical, hygienic, viatorial; he carries him through good ways, by good modes of locomotion, to good inns ! he shows him the best out-ot'-door sights, and takes him out of the high road to places less known, while he will stimulate the lazy or sauntering tiuvellcr by precept and example." Spectator. Mr. Murray's List of Works now Ready. 15 nt. i8t,' and chiefly notice, whether roughly out-of- rcB which hcfel as cotitriTed to writing, replete hnolc, a hright ghly interesting l\\ thoae landi d poetry. We ! about him — a rh renders him ralue act upon Timta. '09t 8vo. 16». int of reading, and powers of in and skill in Builder. lyists, and with U any time for tory, anecdote, ernesa Courier. Dulary. The History of Columbus ; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF HIS VOYAGES, AND THOSK OF HIS COMPANIONS. BY WASHINGTON IKVING, ESQ. Third JiiWion, revlBcd. Miipn. 3 Vols. 8vo. 31*. (Irf. " Mr. Murray's very hnndsonio edition of the Life imd Voyages of Columbus ond his Companions, now '■ompresscd into three volumes luid combined in one work." Spectator, The Hurricane Guide : BEING AN ATTEMPT TO CONNECT THE ROTATORY GALE, OR REVOLVING 8T0RSI, WITH ATMOSPHERIC WAVE.S. INCLUDINO INSTRUCTIONS FOR GtlSERVINO THE PIIGNOMENA OF THE WAVES AND STORMS; WITH PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR AVOIDING THE CENTRES OF THE LATIBR. BY WILLIA.AI RADCLIFFE BIRT, ESQ. With Circle." of Ciirdboarcl, &c. Post 8vo. 3s. " This work is one which demands the nttcntion of all who arc interested in the well-being of that large portion of our fellow countrymen engaged in * business on the deep wateis.' Wo would urge all who are in any way connected with those mighty steamers to procure a copy, •tudy it well and follow the autlior's advice. He is well known in scientific circles as having devoted close attention for many years to the subject of atmospheric waves, and from his position, his oj. 'ions aio worthy of the most attentive regard." JIumpshirc Independent. SKETCHES OF Travels in Egypt and the Holy Land. By Key. J. E. SPENCER. With lUustrations. 8vo. 2U. 1848. d will find A to the tourist, of locomotion, le high road to )y precept and Spectator. NOTICES OF China and Our Chinese Commerce. WITH RE.WARKS ON THE TEA DUTIES, OUR NEW SETTLEMENT AT HONG KONG, AND THE OPIUM TRADE. BY SIR GEORGE THOMAS STAUNTON, BART, 5I.P. A Kew Edition. 8vo. 10^. I'd. " We commend this volume to the attention of the public. The old portions, as well as the new, are eminently deserving of it, anil, independently of its guidance to trade, its illustrations of Cliinesc customs, laws, and literature, are of notable and lasting interest. In respect to the former, the statements relative to the opium trade are of a similar cliaracter, and altogether the volume is a standard for our libraries." Literary Gazette. .-jitf 16 Mr. Murray' 8 Lht of Works now Ready. COMMENTARIES ON THE War in Russia and Germany, 1812-13. BY THE HON. COLONEL GEORGE CATHCART. with 28 coloured UUgnina and Plaiii. 8vo. U: " Tliia huinblo but nuthcntir contribution to tho general atork of matcriala from which hialorical knowledge is to bo derived, is olTcred as tlie teatimony of an ryc-witnrsa of much ho haa recorded, and one who had peculiar opportunitiea of correct i|iforii)alion respecting the rest." Author' I Preface. Travels in Turkey during 1847-8, MADE FOR THE PUKPOSE OF EXAMINING INTO THE KEAt, STATE OF THAT COUNTRY. BY CHARLES MAC FARLANE, ESQ. 3Y0la. 8to. 28«. "Mr. MacFarlane waa altogether eleven months in Turkey during thia last visit; re- maining first for a brief period at Constantinuple, then performing a country excursion principally to the great Pashnlik of Druea, and, after another residence in Constantinople, visiting Nicomcdia and Adrianople. His accounts of the provincial pashalika appear to ua to possess the greatest interest, and his occasional notices of agricultural or manufacturing operations in places removed from tho capital are well worth reding. These he varies by cleverly-drawn portraits of people with whom his travel brought him in contact, by remarkable statistical details not seldom telling ngninst his own views, and by notices of the public departments of state, and of the leading Ministers, 4hich we are not at all disposed to think inaccurate or overcharged. The abuses of the Harem are described generally as in no respect reformed, melancholy descriptions are given of the manners and morals of women of station, and Mr. MacFarlane speaks with ill-disguincd contempt and sarcasm of the private character and pursuits of the Sultan." Examiner. History of Spanish Literature. By GEORGE TICKNOR, Esq. 3 Vols. 8vo, 42*. " A history of Spanish literature is a desideratum to England, apart from the general utility of such works when well executed ; and Mr. Ticknor's history is as well executed as we are entitled to expect such a book to be. It is a labour of love and of time ; Mr. Ticknor's first studies in Spanish literature were commenced upwards of thirty years ago, at Madrid, and have been continued with increasing zest to the present day. In the pursuit of his studies, and the formation of his collection, he has enjoyed the assistance of many Spaniards of literary eminence, as well as of his countrymen Irving and Prescott. These external aids, however, are of little consequence without natural aptitude, and Mr. Ticknor is in himself «ell qualified for his task. His critical taste and acumen arc good, witli a leaning to the favourable side : he is not only well rend in Spanish literature, but in the collateral lines of French and English critica and German acholars." Spectator. liriuibury & Kvana, Printers, Wliitcfrlani. 812-13. nit from which i-as of much he jcting the rest." thor't Preface. 7-8, ; OF THAT last visit; re- nfry excuraion Constantinople, appear to us to manufacturing ise ho vorics by by rcmarl(abIo of the public sposed to think 18 in no respect >men of station, rivate character £xatniner. e. general utility uted as we are Ticknor's first adrid,and have itudies, and the irds of literary aids, however, if well qualified uvable side : he ch and English Spectator.