did our men get up there,
but they carried several eighteen-pounders with them. On the right
there was a descent of many hundred feet, down which a false step would
have sent them headlong, and on the left were beetling rocks, while
along the path they had to creep, only one man could pass at a time.
The pointed rocks, however, served to make fast the tackle by which the
guns were hoisted. To the astonishment of the Frenchmen, the
eighteen-pounders at length began firing down upon their redoubt, which
was then stormed by the troops, and quickly carried. Part of the
garrison were made prisoners, but a good number managed to scamper off
on the opposite side. We, however, took possession of a fine
thirty-eight-gun frigate, called the `Minerve,' which the Frenchmen had
sunk, but which we soon raised and carried off with us. She was then
added to the British navy, and called the `San Fiorenzo,' and was the
ship on board which King George the Third used often to sail when he was
living down at Weymouth. She also fought one or more actions when
commanded by Sir Harry Neale, one of the best officers in the service.
However, young gentlemen, these things took place so long ago that I
don't suppose you will care much to hear about them."

"Oh, yes, we do. Please go on!" cried out several voices from among us.
"It is very interesting, we could sit here all day and listen to you."

"If that is the case, I'll go ahead to please you," said old Riddle.

"In those days we didn't let grass grow on our ship's bottoms. Soon
after we left San Fiorenzo we took Bastia, the seamen employed on shore
being commanded by Captain Nelson, of the `Agamemnon.' After we had
besieged it for thirty-seven days the garrison capitulated, we having
lost a good many officers and seamen killed and wounded.

"We next attacked Calvi, which we took with the loss of the gallant
Captain Serocold and several seamen killed, and Captain Nelson and six
seamen wounded. It was here Captain Nelson had his right eye put out.
I saw a good deal of service while on board the `Juno.' Whilst still on
the station I was transferred with Andrew Barton and others, to the
`Dido,' twenty-eight-gun frigate, commanded by Captain Towry. These
small craft used to be called `Jackass' frigates, but the `Dido' showed
that she was not a `Jackass' at all events. Soon after I joined her she
and the `Lowestoff,' thirty-two-gun frigate, were despatched by Admiral
Hotham to recon