ave man, to approach
sufficiently near, with the boat, to get on board the prize, and had the
extreme mortification of being obliged to go back without effecting his
purpose. On his return to the Lowestoffe, Captain Locker, who was not a
little chagrined at the disappointment, hastily exclaimed--"Have I,
then, no officer who can board the prize?" The master, at hearing these
words, instantly ran to the gangway, that he might jump into the boat;
but the intrepid second-lieutenant, who had been full as attentive and
alert as himself, suddenly stopped him--"It is my turn, now," cried
young Nelson; "if I come back, too, it will be your's." He then leaped
into the boat; and, from his superior expertness in managing it, soon
contrived to get on board, and take possession of his first prize.

This, though no real disgrace to the first-lieutenant, was certainly a
very high honour to such a strippling as the second; who owed his
success, on the present occasion, as he did at many future periods, to
the practical knowledge of seamanship which he had always, from his
first entering on the service, been sagaciously solicitous to acquire.
He seems to have been early of opinion, that a commander who is not
capable of being a master, in every sense of the word, must always,
necessarily, have a master, in it's worst sense, on board his own ship.
This maxim is earnestly recommended to every British youth who enters
into the naval service of his country.

Captain Locker was quite charmed with his young lieutenant, and heartily
congratulated him on the event. He assured him of his constant
friendship; and encouraged him always to ask any indulgence which it
might be in his power to grant.

The Lowestoffe, from it's situation with the fleet, had at this time but
small scope for active service, Lieutenant Nelson, therefore, ever
anxious for professional employ, and ever thirsting for enlarged
improvement in experimental seamanship, requested that Captain Locker
would favour him with the command of the schooner which was attached as
a tender to the frigate. This being readily complied with, he
immediately proceeded, in that small vessel, to render himself a
complete pilot for all the intricate passages of those islands, which
are situated to the northward of St. Domingo, or Hispaniola, and known
by the general appellation of the Keys; and soon became as familiarly
acquainted with the navigation of them, as he had long been with that of
th