eight-gun
frigate, called the "Proselyte," was specially fitted up as a floating
battery, and, with the rest of the fleet, taken round to Bastia roads.
The marines were then landed, and, aided by a strong contingent of
bluejackets, who were placed under the command of Captain Horatio
Nelson, at once set to work to throw up a chain of sod batteries,
completely investing the town on the land side.

So much precious time had been wasted in discussing the _pros and cons_
of this matter, that, notwithstanding our utmost exertions, it was not
until the second week of April, 1794, that our batteries were finished,
the guns mounted, and everything ready for the projected attack. The
evening of the 10th, however, saw our preparations completed; and on the
morning of the 11th the "Proselyte" was moved inshore and moored in a
convenient position for battering the seaward defences of the town.

The attack immediately afterwards commenced; the "Proselyte" and the
shore batteries opening fire simultaneously. The French replied with
the utmost spirit, their guns being admirably served, especially those
which played upon the "Proselyte;" and it soon became evident that that
unfortunate craft was getting decidedly the worst of it. She was the
only ship engaged, the admiral having early come to the conclusion that
it would be madness to expose his fleet, unprotected, to the fire of the
heavy metal mounted in the French defences; we therefore--the few of us,
that is, who were not detailed for duty on shore--had nothing to do for
the time being but watch the fun.

The action had been in progress but a short time, when we observed that
the "Proselyte" was swinging round; and on looking at her more
attentively, with the aid of our telescopes, we discovered that some of
her moorings had been shot away. Her remaining cables soon brought her
up again; but not until she had drifted into a frightfully exposed
position. The fire of the French batteries was immediately concentrated
upon the devoted craft with increased energy; and presently little jets
of greyish smoke, issuing here and there from her sides, showed that the
enemy was effectively firing red-hot shot.

About ten minutes afterwards a little string of balls was seen soaring
aloft to her mast-head. The balls burst apart, and four signal flags
fluttered in the breeze.

I raised my telescope to my eye and read out the numbers to Mr
Annesley, who was busy turning over the leaves