im in French if he took me for a brigand.
The question, as well as the manner in which it was put, silenced, if
it did not satisfy, the priest. He seemed to listen with apparent
conviction to the suggestion of some of our people, that he had been
robbed by another party, and he set out in pursuit of them. I was quite
tired of his importunities, and glad to see him depart. As he turned
away, he gave me a very scrutinising look, which I returned with
another, full of well dissembled rage and scorn. My curling hair had
been well flattened down with a piece of soap, which I had in my pocket,
and I had much more the appearance of a Methodist parson than a
pickpocket.

Some time previous to this, the frigate to which I belonged had been
ordered on other services; and as I had no opportunity of joining her, I
was placed, _pro tempore_, on board of another. But as this chapter has
already spun out its length, I shall refer my reader to the next for
further particulars.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

The shout
Of battle now began, and rushing sound
Of onset
...
'Twixt host and host but narrow space was left.
MILTON.

From the deservedly high character borne by the captain of the frigate
which I was ordered to join, he was employed by Lord Collingwood on the
most confidential services; and we were sent to assist the Spaniards in
their defence of the important fortress of Rosas, in Catalonia. It has
already been observed that the French general St. Cyr had entered that
country, and, having taken Figueras and Gerona, was looking with a
wistful eye on the castle of Trinity, on the south-east side, the
capture of which would be a certain prelude to the fall of Rosas.

My captain determined to defend it, although it had just been abandoned
by another British naval officer, as untenable. I volunteered, though a
supernumerary, to be one of the party, and was sent: nor can I but
acknowledge that the officer who had abandoned the place had shown more
than a sound discretion. Every part of the castle was in ruins. Heaps
of crumbling stones and rubbish, broken gun-carriages, and split guns,
presented to my mind a very unfavourable field of battle. The only
advantage we appeared to have over the assailants was that the breach
which they had effected in the walls was steep in the ascent, and the
loose stones either fell down upon them or gave way under their feet,
while we plied them with every kind of missile. This was