made
social picnic parties to the small farmhouses. I have heard sailors
declare they would rather be hanged in their native country than die a
natural death in any other. It is not very agreeable to be hanged even in
Paradise, but I certainly prefer residing in the neighbourhood of Plymouth
to any other part of England. The month we were in harbour vanished like a
dream. We cast off the moorings, and soon after anchored at Spithead.

The following week we were again on the Siberian or Black Rock station.
One night, in consequence of a light westerly wind with a heavy swell and
a counter current, we had drifted so near the south-west end of Ushant
that we were obliged to let go an anchor in rocky ground. For more than
six hours it was a question whether the cable would part or hold on: had
the latter occurred, the frigate must have gone on shore. After hoping,
wishing and expecting a breeze from the eastward, it made its appearance
by cat's-paws. We weighed, and found the cackling and one strand of the
cable cut through. As the wind freshened we worked up to our old station
off Point St. Matthew, and anchored. The following morning we reconnoitred
Brest, could make out fourteen of the enemy's ships of the line with their
top-gallant yards crossed, and five others refitting. The same day a
cutter joined us with our letters and two bullocks. After cruising between
Ushant and the Saints, the small rocky island Beriguet and Douarnenez Bay,
until we were tired of seeing them, we, at the expiration of two months,
were again ordered to Plymouth to refit, but not before the considerate
old Earl had taken from us thirty of our best seamen, which so much
pleased our noble captain that he declared if he was ordered to rejoin the
Channel fleet he would give up the frigate. After having refitted, to our
great mortification we were again under orders for the detestable station
off Brest. The captain wrote to be superseded, and as there was no lack of
sharp half-pay skippers looking-out, his request was immediately complied
with.

His successor was a shambling, red-nosed, not sailor-like looking man, who
had persuaded a counterpart of himself, the village barber, to accompany
him as his steward. Sure such a pair was never seen before! The hands were
turned up and his commission read. "Well, my men," said he, addressing the
crew, "I understand you know how to do your duty, therefore my advice to
you is to do it. That's all," said he t