uld keep the ship a little
off the wind, I ordered some guns to be fired at a battery that had
just opened abreast of us, which quieted them a little. We now stopped
firing till we could keep her away, with the wind abaft the beam,
when, for a few minutes, we kept up a very lively fire on the last
battery we had to pass, which I believe must otherwise have done us
great damage. At half-past twelve, being out of reach of their shot,
the firing ceased.

The whole of this admirable piece of service was performed so quickly,
and at the same time with so much coolness, that there occurred little
or no opportunity for any remarkable individual exertion. Everything,
as I have heard it described by Sir Samuel Hood himself and by the
officers, went on as if the ship had been working out of Plymouth
Sound at noon-day. One little incident, however, which caused much
amusement in the ship, will help to show the degree of regard in which
Sir Samuel was held by those immediately about him; and to disprove
the proverb of no man being a hero to his valet-de-chambre.

Dennis M'Carty, an old and faithful servant of Captain Hood's, who was
quartered at one of the main-deck guns in the cabin, stood firm enough
till the batteries opened on the Juno. No sooner had the firing
commenced, and the shot began to come whizzing over and through all
parts of the ship, than Dennis, to the great amaze and scandal of his
companions, dropped the side tackle-fall, and fairly ran off from his
gun. Nothing in the world, however, could be further from poor Pat's
mind than fear--except fear for his master, behind whom he soon
stationed himself on the quarter-deck; and wherever Captain Hood
moved, there Dennis followed, like his shadow; totally unconscious of
any personal danger to himself, though the captain was necessarily in
the hottest of the fire. At length, Sir Samuel, turning suddenly
round, encountered the Irishman full butt.

"Hallo! Dennis," exclaimed the captain, "what brings you here? Go down
to your gun, man!"

"Oh, by the powers! your honour," replied Dennis, "sure I thought it
likely you might be hurt, so I wished to be near you to give you some
help."

There was no resisting this; the captain laughed; and poor Dennis was
allowed to take his own way.

Another remarkable instance of his courage and disinterestedness was
afforded at the battle of the Nile. Previous to entering into that
great action, Nelson hailed Captain Hood's ship, and