good ship, and was several times nearly overset in consequence of the
masts having been made much too long for her. On her return to England

they were shortened, and some other improvements made at Nelson's
suggestion. Still he always insisted that her first owners, the French,

had taught her to run away, as she was never a good sailer except when
going directly before the wind.

On their return to the Downs, while he was ashore visiting the senior
officer, there came on so heavy a gale that almost all the vessels

drove, and a store-ship came athwart-hawse of the ALBEMARLE. Nelson
feared she would drive on the Goodwin Sands; he ran to the beach; but

even the Deal boatmen thought it impossible to get on board, such was
the violence of the storm. At length some of the most intrepid offered

to make the attempt for fifteen guineas; and to the astonishment and
fear of all the beholders, he embarked during the height of the tempest.

With great difficulty and imminent danger he succeeded in reaching her.
She lost her bowsprit and foremast, but escaped further injury. He was

now ordered to Quebec, where his surgeon told him he would certainly be
laid up by the climate. Many of his friends urged him to represent this

to Admiral Keppel; but having received his orders from Lord Sandwich,
there appeared to him an indelicacy in applying to his successor to have

them altered.
Accordingly he sailed for Canada. During her first cruise on that

station the ALBEMARLE captured a fishingschooner which contained in her
cargo nearly all the property that her master possessed, and the poor

fellow had a large family at home, anxiously expecting him. Nelson
employed him as a pilot in Boston Bay, then restored him the schooner

and cargo, and gave him a certificate to secure him against being
captured by any other vessel. The man came off afterwards to the

ALBEMARLE, at the hazard of his life, with a present of sheep, poultry,
and fresh provisions. A most valuable supply it proved, for the scurvy

was raging on board: this was in the middle of August, and the ship's
company had not had a fresh meal since the beginning of April. The

certificate was preserved at Boston in memory of an act of unusual
generosity; and now that the fame of Nelson has given interest to

everything connected with his name, it is regarded as a relic. The
ALBEMARLE had a narrow escape upon this cruise. Four French sail of the

line and a frigate, which had come out of Boston harbour, gave chase to
her; and Nelson, perceiving that they beat him in sailing, boldly ran

among the numerous shoals of St. George's Bank, confiding in his own
skill in pilotage. Captain Salter, in the STA. MARGARETTA, had escaped

the French fleet by a similar manoeuvre not long before. The frigate
alone continued warily to pursue him; but as soon as he perceived that

this enemy was unsupported, he shortened sail and hove to; upon which
the Frenchman thought it advisable to give over the pursuit, and sail in

quest of his consorts.
At Quebec Nelson became acquainted with Alexander Davison, by whose

interference he was prevented from making what would have been called an
imprudent marriage. The ALBEMARLE was about to leave the station, her

captain had taken leave of his friends, and was gone down the river to
the place of anchorage; when the next morning, as Davison was walking

on the beach, to his surprise he saw Nelson coming back in his boat.
Upon inquiring the cause of this reappearance, Nelson took his arm to

walk towards the town, and told him that he found it utterly impossible
to leave Quebec without again seeing the woman whose society had

contributed so much to his happiness there, and offering her his hand.
"If you do," said his friend, "your ruin must inevitably follow." "Then

let it follow," cried Nelson, "for I am resolved to do it" "And I,"
replied Davison, "am resolved you shall not." Nelson, however, upon this

occasion, was less resolute than his friend, and suffered himself to be
led back to the boat.

The ALBEMARLE was under orders to convoy a fleet of transports to New
York. "A very pretty job" said her captain, "at this late season of the

year" (October was far advanced), "for our sails are at this moment
frozen to the yards." On his arrival at Sandy Hook, he waited on the

commander-in-chief, Admiral Digby, who told him he was come on a fine
station for making prize-money. "Yes, sir," Nelson made answer, "but the

West Indies is the station for honour." Lord Hood, with a detachment of
Rodney's victorious fleet, was at that time at Sandy Hook: he had been

intimate with Captain Suckling; and Nelson, who was desirous of nothing
but honour, requested him to ask for the ALBEMARLE, that he might go to

that station where it was most likely to be obtained. Admiral Digby
reluctantly parted with him. His professional merit was already well

known; and Lord Hood, on introducing him to Prince William Henry, as the
Duke of Clarence was then called, told the prince, if he wished to ask

any questions respecting naval tactics, Captain Nelson could give him as
much information as any officer in the fleet. The Duke--who, to his own

honour, became from that time the firm friend of Nelson--describes him
as appearing the merest boy of a captain he had ever seen, dressed in a

full laced uniform, an old-fashionedwaistcoat with long flaps, and his
lank unpowdered hair tied in a stiff Hessian tail of extraordinary

length; making altogether so remarkable a figure, that, says the duke, "I
had never seen anything like it before, nor could I imagine who he was,

nor what he came about. But his address and conversation were
irresistibly pleasing; and when he spoke on professional subjects, it

was with an enthusiasm that showed he was no common being."
It was expected that the French would attempt some of the passages

between the Bahamas; and Lord Hood, thinking of this, said to Nelson, "I
suppose, sir, from the length of time you were cruising among the Bahama

Keys, you must be a good pilot there." He replied, with that constant
readiness to render justice to every man which was so conspicuous in

all his conduct through life, that he was well acquainted with them
himself, but that in that respect his second lieutenant was far his

superior. The French got into Puerto Cabello, on the coast of Venezuela.
Nelson was cruising between that port and La Guapra, under French

colours, for the purpose of obtaining information; when a king's launch,
belonging to the Spaniards, passed near, and being hailed in French,

came alongside without suspicion, and answered all questions that were
asked concerning the number and force of the enemy's ships. The crew,

however, were not a little surprised when they were taken on board and
found themselves prisoners. One of the party went by the name of the

Count de Deux-Ponts. He was, however, a prince of the German empire, and
brother to the heir of the Electorate of Bavaria: his companions were

French officers of distinction, and men of science, who had been
collecting specimens in the various branches of natural history. Nelson,

having entertained them with the best his table could afford, told them
they were at liberty to depart with their boat, and all that it

contained: he only required them to promise that they would consider
themselves as prisoners if the commander-in-chief should refuse to

acquiesce in their being thus liberated: a circumstance which was not
likely to happen. Tidings soon arrived that the preliminaries of peace

had been signed; and the ALBEMARLE returned to England and was paid off.
Nelson's first business, after he got to London, even before he went to

see his relations, was to attempt to get the wages due to his men for
the various ships in which they had served during the war. "The disgust

of seamen to the navy," he said, "was all owing to the infernal plan of
turning them over from ship to ship; so that men could not be attached

to their officers, nor the officers care the least about the men." Yet
he himself was so beloved by his men that his whole ship's company

offered, if he could get a ship, to enter for her immediately. He was
now, for the first time, presented at court. After going through this

ceremony, he dined with his friend Davison at Lincoln's Inn. As soon as
he entered the chambers, he threw off what he called his iron-bound

coat; and, putting himself at ease in a dressing gown, passed the
remainder of the day in talking over all that had befallen them since

they parted on the shore of the River St. Lawrence.
CHAPTER II

1784 - 1793
Nelson goes to France-- Reappointed to the BOREAS at the Leeward Islands

in the BOREAS--His firm conduct concerning the American Interlopers and
the Contractors--Marries and returns to England--Is on the point of

quitting the Service in Disgust--Manner of Life while unemployed--