and, immediately ordering him a glass of liquor, said it
would inspirit him to take the ship over the bar, where the pilot had
expressed his opinion there was by no means a sufficient depth of water.
His lordship, however, was resolved that the experiment should be tried:
and, accordingly, they got safely into the harbour; though not without a
considerable degree of that horrible grating of the ship's bottom, while
forcing it's way through the sands, which so often thrills those who
navigate this perilous road. The weather being bad, his lordship and
friends, on landing, went into a carriage; from which the shouting
multitude, who had hailed his arrival, instantly detached the horses,
and drew them to the Wrestlers Inn. All the ships in the harbour hoisted
their colours, and every honour was paid to his lordship by Admiral
Dickson, the then commander of the fleet. The Mayor and Corporation of
Yarmouth immediately waited on his lordship with the freedom of the
town; which, in consequence of his eminent services, had been previously
voted. With the blundering fatality, however, that seldom fails to mark
some member in almost every town-corporate, on any extraordinary
occasion, when the usual oath was tendered to his lordship, who placed
his left and only hand on the book, the officer who administered it
incautiously exclaimed--"Your right hand, my lord!" His lordship, with a
good-humoured smile, mildly reminded him that he had no right hand. The
surrounding company, however, were less merciful; and not only indulged
an immediate hearty laugh at his expence, but sarcastically fastened on
him, for ever after, the unfortunate phrase--_"Your right hand, my
lord_!" In the mean time, all the troops quartered in the town paraded
before the inn, with their regimental band; paying every military honour
to his lordship, and firing _feux de joie_. The corporation, after
presenting Lord Nelson with the freedom, went in procession, with his
lordship, to church; whither he was also attended by all the naval
officers on shore, as well as the principal inhabitants, who joined his
lordship in this public thanksgiving to the Almighty, on thus landing in
his native country. At night, the whole town was illuminated, bonfires
were kindled, and discharges of musketry and ordnance continued till
midnight. On quitting the town, next day, the corps of Volunteer
Cavalry, commanded by William Palgrave, Jun. Esq. now Collector of the
Customs at the p