their stations, and let himself down by one of the backstays. After
suffering amputation, he persisted in going again on deck, where he
remained encouraging the men till the action terminated.

On the arrival of the fleet at Jamaica, the Russell was found to be in
so disabled a state, that Sir George Rodney intended to send her home
with the Ville de Paris and the other prizes, and arrangements were
made for that purpose accordingly. His old friend, Sir Peter Parker,
who had held the command at Jamaica, sailed in the Sandwich, on board
which ship was the Comte de Grasse, for England, with a convoy of
merchant-ships. After having been at sea three days, the Ajax, one of
the ships under his command, sprang a leak, returned to Bluefields
Bay, and the Russell was ordered to follow the fleet in her stead. The
exertions which Captain Saumarez used to refit his ship obtained the
commander-in-chief's highest approbation. In two days he was ready,
and immediately joined the Sandwich and Intrepid, which now sailed
with the trade under convoy, and preceded the prizes, which were not
yet ready to undertake the voyage to England; and it was owing to
this interposition of Providence, that the Russell escaped the
melancholy fate which afterwards befel the unfortunate fleet, in which
the ill-fated Ville de Paris was lost with all her crew. The Russell
had on board three hundred French prisoners and twenty-two officers,
and arrived at the Downs on the 29th July 1782. She was ordered to be
paid off at Chatham, to which port she proceeded. On her arrival
there, an order came from the Admiralty to draft her crew into a ship
which was under order to sail for the East Indies. This excited a
general murmur, and at length the men refused to obey. On Captain
Saumarez being informed of it, he went on board and remonstrated, when
they unanimously declared that, although they had but just returned
from a long voyage, they would follow him all the world over. Before
he left the ship, however, he prevailed on them to resume their duty;
and these orders were subsequently altered. After returning her
stores, the Russell was paid off on the 24th of September. Captain
Saumarez' acting commission as a post-captain, dated on the 8th of
February 1782, was confirmed by Earl Howe; and no officer in his
Majesty's service more richly deserved his promotion.

CHAPTER V.

1784 to 1793.

Captain Saumarez returns to Guernsey.--His exemplary
Conduc