serious heavy tumult of
activity, secret and public. In the Dockyards, on the Drill-grounds,
what a stir: Camp in the Isle of Wight, not to mention Portsmouth and
the Sea-Industries; 6,000 Marines are to be embarked, as well as Land
Regiments,--can anybody guess whither? America itself is to furnish 'one
Regiment, with Scotch Officers to discipline it,' if they can.

"Here is real haste and effort; but by no means such speed as could be
wished; multiplex confusions and contradictions occurring, as is usual,
when your machinery runs foul. Nor are the Gazetteers without
their guesses, though they study to be discreet. 'Here is something
considerable in the wind; a grand idea, for certain;'--and to men of
discernment it points surely towards Carthagena and heroic Vernon out
yonder? Government is dumb altogether; and lays occasional embargo;
trying hard (without success), in the delays that occurred, to keep it
secret from Don Blas and others. The outcome of all which was,

"3. CARTHAGENA ITSELF (NOVEMBER, 1740--APRIL, 1741).--On November
6th,--by no means 'July 3d,' as your first fond program bore; which
delay was itself likely to be fatal, unless the Almanac, and course of
the Tropical Seasons would delay along with you!--we say, On Sunday,
6th November, 1740 [Kaiser Karl's Funeral just over, and great thoughts
going on at Reinsberg], Rear-Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle,--so many weeks
and months after the set time,--does sail from St. Helen's (guessed,
for Carthagena); all people sending blessings with him. Twenty-five
big Ships of the Line, with three Half-Regiments on board; fireships,
bomb-ketches, in abundance; and eighty Transports, with 6,000 drilled
Marines: a Sea-and-Land Force fit to strengthen Hero Vernon with
a witness, and realize his Carthagena views. A very great day at
Portsmouth and St. Helen's for these Sunday folk. [Tindal, xx.
463 (LISTS, &c. there; date wrong, "31st October," instead of 26th
(o.s.),--many things wrong, and all things left loose and flabby, and
not right! As is poor Tindal's way).]

"Most obscure among the other items in that Armada of Sir Chaloner's,
just taking leave of England; most obscure of the items then, but
now most noticeable, or almost alone noticeable, is a young
Surgeon's-Mate,--one Tobias Smollett; looking over the waters there and
the fading coasts, not without thoughts. A proud, soft-hearted, though
somewhat stern-visaged, caustic and indignant young gentleman. Apt to be