A sailor's life under four sovereigns, Volume 1 (of 3)

SUBJECT ARTIST PAGE “There was life in the ‘small _J. W. Houghton_ Frontispiece thing’” A Successful Operation ” ” 3 Pio Mingo _E. Caldwell_ 6 Sir Francis Burdett _From an engra...

It was only in 1820 I learnt from my sister, Mary, that three weeks after birth I was deposited in my father’s footpan to be interred in a garden at the back of the house, not b...

Having paid many parting visits, I returned to Portsmouth, and, dismounting from the “Regulator” coach, went straight to the outfitters’ and was soon in uniform. What I thought...

First visit was to my brother Tom at the College. Landing in the dockyard, our shortest route lay through the lower-mast and boat-houses. In the latter we found one of our maste...

Had to attend my Captain at a court-martial which caused an unusual sensation. It took place on board the _Victory_ in Portsmouth Harbour, with all established pomp and ceremony...

_Tweed_ was re-commissioned by Captain Lord John Churchill, of whom I had heard nothing but good. Was glad to find myself reappointed. Having returned from foreign service, I wa...

One afternoon when home for tea I found that Lady Mary had visited Mrs. Burton and claimed me as a relation, and dwelt on the healthiness of Wynberg in the summer. I did not fan...

Goodwood Races being due, I brought up at the “Keppel’s Head,” and let my kinsman, Henry Delmé, at Cams (a mansion at the head of Portsmouth Harbour), know that I was ready for...

We left Spithead to go to assistance of the _Wolf_, on shore at back of Isle of Wight: with our boats, and assistance of dockyard lighters, she was got off during afternoon of f...

The Channel Squadron was not a station for a poor man. Stephenson managed my removal through his friend Rear-Admiral the Hon. George Dundas, still at the Admiralty. I had freque...

Trincomalee is a beautiful and extensive harbour, which had been taken and retaken by the Dutch and ourselves several times during the last century, and at the Peace of Amiens,...

On October 1 we were threading our way through this “sea of islands,” leadsman in the chains, heading for Batavia. Mr. George Bonham, a member of the Government, was the guest o...

On return from the funeral I was sent in a native boat to Calcutta, with a despatch to the Governor-General. It was slow work against stream, and at night very cold, for which I...

My father had taken 12 Berkeley Square, which had an excellent dining-room. He had also the Stud House in the Home Park. My kind host of many years, the Duke of Sussex, was on a...

The First Lieutenant, George Goldsmith, had been serving in the _Madagascar_ frigate, under that distinguished officer, the Hon. Sir Robert Spencer, who was succeeded by another...

On January 5 we were ordered to precede the fleet with despatches for Malta. Weather looking dirty, took two reefs in the topsails; topgallant sails over. Before getting clear o...

The wife of our senior officer, Sir William Montague, had a house in Cadiz, where parties were given by this charming lady. She also got up picnics, and other amusements.

By help of dockyard sheers got our foremast in, and by 4 P.M. reported ready for sea, but was disappointed in parading before the _Rodney_, by a despatch from the Consul to Capt...

It was with great pleasure I learned from Captain Parker that he had appointed my young friend, George H. Seymour, midshipman, son of the much-respected Admiral Sir George Seymo...

Arrived at Sierra Leone. Here we received our proportion of Kroomen, the most useful and intelligent of natives, who relieved our men of much sun work. As they were discharged,...

I went on shore with several of the officers, in straw hats and round jackets, expecting a wetting; the surf ran high. We, however, landed perfectly dry, but had no sooner touch...

At daylight we were again off the Bonny, where we found _Pelican_. I received orders from Commander Popham to cruise between latitudes 4° and 2° north, longitude 3° 30′ and 6° e...

_Forester_ arrived from England to relieve _Columbine_. Being to the northward, we were the first to notice a strange sail. The senior officer, Commander Popham, of the _Pelican...

In this book I profess to write my sailor life only. But what I laughed at as a boy I now regret as a man, and the next few pages may be skipped.

Jack Crosbie, who was laid up in bed, gave me a mount with Wyndham’s hounds. Meet at Aldsworth Bridge: found at Stanstead; through Watergate and Up Park; killed at the Semaphore...

Heard from an old friend that a Captain, junior to myself, had declined an offer of the _Dido_. I had homes in plenty, but these could not last; my wife handsome and charming--w...

The force collected at Woosung to proceed up the Yang-tse-Kiang consisted of seventy-three sail, men-of-war and transport, three of them being line-of-battle ships. The whole, a...

Chinamen mustering courage on the strength of peace. Hundreds of large picturesque junks coming down the river. Chinese soldiers smart in taking possession of citadel as our tro...

Continued with _Endymion_ the convoy of transports through the Straits. That strange kind of vibration through the ship which we experienced last year, not far from this, was fe...

Came to under Camel Island. To think that for thousands of miles these seas should be infested by pirates! The sea as smooth as Spithead, with anchorages to be found in from 4 t...

We now began to prepare for work of another sort. After our small flotilla had started, the _Dido_ took a berth about two miles inside the entrance of the Sarebas River, off Pul...

Weighed for China. Synge of 98th with me. Have to work up against monsoon. A lovely squall carried us eleven knots, on a wind. At sunset shifted topsails ready for the next. No...

Report of a junk sunk with stones caused me to secure the best Chinese pilot. On his coming on board, he requested he might have a sailor’s hat, that he might hide his well-coil...

Brooke, Brooke, iii. 11 Rajah, i. 288-296, 298, 299, 302, 306, 308, 312, 313, 317, 319, 333, 339; ii. 1, 3, 6, 21, 23, 30, 43, 44, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65, 70, 76, 82, 84...

Fitzroy, Colonel, i. 71, 72, 87 Commander Arthur, ii. 153; iii. 70 Captain Augustus, ii. 40, 153, 157, 303 Sir Charles, ii. 40, 153, 155, 164 George, ii. 40, 153, 157; iii. 192,...

KEPPEL, ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET SIR HENRY:-- Birth, i. 1 Christening, i. 1 School-days, i. 2-5 Choice of a career, i. 7 Preparation for the Navy, i. 14 Enters the Royal Naval Colle...

Wales, H.R.H. the Prince of, i. 96, 257; iii. 81, 92, 93, 105, 113, 115, 322, 328, 329, 332, 333 H.R.H. the Princess of, iii. 81, 93, 105, 322, 333