lls, and the gunboats by night,
but that the enemy must surrender before any great length of time,
yet, if force can be spared, a successful attack on the heights must
much facilitate a speedy capture. I own it will give me the highest
pleasure to assist in the attack."

It was by such an attack, or rather by the fear of it, coming upon the
long and exhausting endurance of cannonade and hunger, that Bastia
finally fell. "We shall in time accomplish the taking of Bastia,"
wrote Nelson on the 3d of May. "I have no doubt in the way we proposed
to attempt it, by bombardment and cannonading, joined to a close
blockade of the harbour." "If not," he adds, "our Country will, I
believe, sooner forgive an officer for attacking his enemy than for
letting it alone." On the 12th a large boat was captured coming out
from the port; and on her were found letters from the governor,
Gentili, confessing the annoyance caused by the British fire, and
saying that if relief did not arrive by the 29th, the place must be
looked upon as lost. Three nights later another boat was caught
attempting to enter. On board her was a brother of the Mayor of
Bastia. This man, while talking with Hood's secretary, expressed his
fears for the result to his relatives, if the town were carried by
assault. The secretary replied that Hood could not prevent those
evils, if the garrison awaited the attack, and gave the Corsican to
understand that it was imminent, troops being expected from San
Fiorenzo. At the urgent request of the prisoner, one of the seamen
taken with him was permitted to land with a letter, stating the
impending danger. By a singular coincidence, or by skilful
contrivance, the San Fiorenzo troops appeared on the heights upon the
evening, May 19, following this conversation. Flags of truce had
already been hoisted, negotiations were opened, and on the 22d the
French colors were struck and the British took possession. "When I
reflect what we have achieved," confessed the hitherto outwardly
unmoved Nelson, "I am all astonishment. The most glorious sight that
an Englishman can experience, and which, I believe, none but an
Englishman could bring about, was exhibited,--4,500 men laying down
their arms to less than 1,000 British soldiers, who were serving as
marines." As towards the French this account is perhaps somewhat less
than fair; but it does no more than justice to the admirable firmness
and enterprise shown by Hood and Nelson. As a question o