n half a mile
interval between us. The third was a quarter of a mile further away. The
situation was a very unpleasant one, for now that they were up to us, they
would be able to shorten sail a little and occasionally fire at us with
their broadside guns. Cochrane gave orders for the whole crew to be ready
to shorten sail when he gave the word, and that every sail should come
down simultaneously. It was a critical movement, but it was well executed.
Cochrane himself shouted the orders, and in a moment down came every sail.
The helm at the same moment was put a-weather. Had it not been for the
hawsers with which we had stayed the masts, everything must have gone out
of her as we wore round, rolling in the trough of the sea. As soon as she
was round, up went her sails again, and we went off on the opposite tack
to that on which we had before been running.

"The French were altogether unprepared for such a manoeuvre in such a heavy
gale as was now blowing, and it was a long time before they could shorten
sail and get on the opposite tack, indeed they ran on some miles before
they could do this, while we were rushing along at the rate of thirteen
knots an hour in the opposite direction; so they were a very long distance
away before they were fairly after us. By this time darkness was coming
on, and when morning broke they were altogether out of sight, and we
continued our course to Plymouth. An election was on, and while we were
lying two months in Plymouth Cochrane stood as candidate for Honiton, but
was defeated. He refused to bribe, and his opponent therefore won hands
down, as he paid the usual sum of five pounds for each vote. After the
election was over, Cochrane sent ten guineas to each of the men who had
voted for him, saying that he had sent it as a reward for their having
refused to accept the bribes of his opponent.

"The expenditure was considerable, but, as Cochrane calculated, it ensured
his return at the next election whenever that might take place, as each
voter naturally calculated that if he had paid ten guineas a vote after he
was beaten, there was no saying what he would pay if he were returned. At
the end of May we sailed in charge of a convoy for Quebec, and brought one
back again. It was dull work, and we were heartily glad when on our return
we were ordered to cruise off Boulogne and then to join the squadron of
Admiral Thornborough, which was to operate on the French and Spanish
coast. There we capt