Chapter 29

dated the day Captain Capel arrived. What would I not give for one of as late date from you! Another is soon expected, this packet having had nearly three weeks' passage."

The extract of the following letter from Sir James to the commander-in-chief continues this narrative:

Orion, Tagus, 1st November, 1798.

MY LORD,

I have the honour to acquaint your lordship of the safe arrival in the Tagus of this ship and the Theseus, with five of the prize-ships lately taken in his Majesty's service.

His grace the Duc d'Havre embarks on board this ship on Monday next; and the Marquis de Mortemart having solicited a passage to England, I have consented to receive him on condition of his being considered in the suite of the duke. Captain Tyler also takes his passage in the Orion. I should have been happy to have made the like offer to General Trigge, but it was not possible to accommodate him and the ladies of his family without considerable inconvenience to the Duc d'Havre. His grace is a nobleman of the first distinction and consideration, and he expresses himself very sensible of your lordship's attention in providing for him so good a conveyance.

I beg to offer my most sincere and fervent wishes for health and every happiness to attend your lordship; and, with my unfeigned thanks for all your lordship's favour,

I remain, &c.

Sir James, having now fulfilled the anxious charge entrusted to him, and, with great professional skill and unremitting vigilance, brought the prizes in safety to Lisbon, is at length setting sail for England: and who will not share the feelings of the husband and the father, on approaching his home after so long an absence! The following extracts from his letters will convey some impression of what those feelings were.

Lisbon, Nov. 3rd, 1798.

I am now rejoicing in the hope of being in England nearly as soon as this letter can reach you. I propose to sail from this place the beginning of next week, and I trust my arrival will shortly follow. Let me find a letter from you at Portsmouth. I depend on your being ready to set off as soon as you hear the Orion is there. The post will arrive sufficiently early to allow of your leaving Bath the same day. I may possibly be able to meet you on the road, as I shall have had time to despatch Monsieur le Duc d'Havre (who is a very polite Frenchman) and to make arrangements against our return. I think it right to mention that unless the wind admits the ships getting over the Bar of Lisbon, I may be detained. But I hope for a quick passage.

"Sunday, November 25th, Spithead.--I wrote to you, this morning, from St. Helens. The happy moment is at length arrived when I can despatch a letter from Spithead. Yours of yesterday is in my hand. To-morrow you will be setting off; but I fear the service will prevent our meeting till the day after.

"I have despatched Dumaresq to Newport for our dear boy; and I depend on seeing him to-night. _Le Duc est empresse de le voir._ I hope to get the party on shore, _de bonne heure_, to-morrow: but we are still in quarantine whilst I am making these arrangements.

"Tuesday morning.--Great is my disappointment at being kept thus long in quarantine: it is a cruel _contre temps_, and the more so from its being unforeseen. What adds to my disappointment is, that I am at a loss to know if our _pratique_ has been received by this day's post, the weather having prevented all communication with the shore. It will rejoice you to learn that our beloved boy has been with me since ten, yesterday morning, and that I find him all you have described. I expect to hear every moment of your arrival at the Fountain. Mr. Maxwell writes there is no doubt of our being released to-morrow.

"One o'clock.--If our _pratique_ is not received by this post, request Sir Peter to set the telegraph at work, now that the weather has cleared up. 8 P.M. Your letter has this instant reached me. The tidings of your arrival have relieved my mind from great inquietude. The messenger has orders to wait your commands until after the post hour to-morrow; and if we are not then admitted to the privileges of _Christian charity_ after our _Egyptian bondage_, we must _endeavour_ to submit to our fate. James is by my side, and glows with thankfulness at being so soon likely to embrace his beloved mamma. He has indeed been a real comfort to me under this sad contrariety of events. I have placed Monsieur Le Duc, and the rest of the party, at cards, to send these lines in time _pour ton reveil demain. Encore adieu, ma tres chere_! Write every hour of the day, and send your letters to Mr. Maxwell.

"Wednesday morning.--Grieved as I am to be a prisoner still another day, there is consolation in the _certainty_ of our being released to-morrow. Ardently as I aspire for the moment of our meeting, I must delay going on shore until after the performance of divine service in this ship:[22] and I know this arrangement will have your full concurrence. Your note is just received: how well have you anticipated my thoughts, and met my wishes even before they were expressed. Please God, to-morrow we shall be compensated for a separation of two long years; and on a day in which none can have greater mercies to commemorate than ourselves.

[22] November 29th, the day appointed for a general thanksgiving for the great naval victories.

"Wednesday evening.--I have just ascertained that the Duke and the Marquis do not proceed to town before Friday; therefore expect to receive them at dinner, and desire Mrs. Fielding to prepare for eighteen or twenty guests."

Sir James remained at Portsmouth, until the 15th December, when he sailed for Plymouth, at which place he arrived on the 22nd: and on the 6th of January 1799 the Orion was paid off, when Sir James went to Bath, where he was once more free and happy in the bosom of his family.