romptly and thankfully accepted. As for the _Belle Jeannette_, she,
too, was sold, fetching a very good price, and before we left port again
we had divided our prize-money, my share of which amounted to the very
respectable sum of two thousand six hundred and odd pounds.

The _Dolphin_ had received so severe a mauling in her fight with the
French privateer brig that, although the utmost despatch was used in
repairing and refitting her, it was not until the 24th of December that
she was again ready for sea, by which time news had reached us of the
declaration of war by Spain against Great Britain. This last
circumstance, of course, threw all hands of us into a fever of
impatience to get to sea again, in order that we might have an early
opportunity of picking up a rich Spanish prize; but when Christmas-eve
arrived, finding us still in harbour, our owner was generous enough to
say that we might, if we pleased, defer our sailing until the day after
Christmas-day, in order that the crew might have the opportunity to
spend Christmas at home, which opportunity we thankfully made the most
of. But all hands were on board by noon of the 26th, when we cast off
and stood out of the harbour once more before a fresh south-westerly
breeze, the day being, for a wonder--with the wind in a wet quarter--
brilliantly fine, and as mild as a day in early autumn; a circumstance
which most of our lads were willing to accept as the omen of a
prosperous cruise.

Captain Winter's object was to reach the French coast as soon as
possible, and then to work along it to the westward, right round to the
Spanish coast, and thence as far as Gibraltar, and perhaps into the
Mediterranean, hoping that somewhere on the way we might pick up
something worth having, or at least obtain information relating to a
homeward or outward-bound convoy; upon clearing Portland, therefore, we
stood across the Channel, on a taut bowline, on the starboard tack,
making Cape de la Hague, well on our lee bow, next morning at daybreak.
We then shortened sail to our fore-and-aft canvas only, and, taking in
our gaff-topsail, held on as we were going, with the French coast close
aboard, to leeward, until we reached Granville, when, having seen
nothing worthy of our attention, we tacked to the westward, and
eventually found ourselves off Cape Frehel, the easternmost extremity of
Saint Brieuc Bay. This was our third day out; we had seen nothing, and
the men, who appeared to thi