with defensive law. The marines, whom he had sent to secure the ships,
had prevented some of the masters from going ashore; and those persons,
by whose depositions it appeared that the vessels and cargoes were
American property, declared that they had given their testimony under
bodily fear, for that a man with a drawn sword in his hand had stood
over them the whole time. A rascally lawyer, whom the party employed,
suggested this story; and as the sentry at the cabin door was a man
with a drawn sword, the Americans made no scruple of swearing to
this ridiculous falsehood, and commencing prosecutions against him
accordingly. They laid their damages at the enormous amount of L40,000;
and Nelson was obliged to keep close on board his own ship, lest he
should be arrested for a sum for which it would have been impossible to
find bail. The marshal frequently came on board to arrest him, but was
always prevented by the address of the first lieutenant, Mr. Wallis. Had
he been taken, such was the temper of the people that it was certain he
would have been cast for the whole sum. One of his officers, one day,
in speaking of the restraint which he was thus compelled to suffer,
happened to use the word PITY! "Pity!" exclaimed Nelson: "Pity! did you
say? I shall live, sir, to be envied! and to that point I shall always
direct my course." Eight weeks remained in this state of duresse. During
that time the trial respecting the detained ships came on in the court
of Admiralty. He went on shore under a protection for the day from the
judge; but, notwithstanding this, the marshal was called upon to
take that opportunity of arresting him, and the merchants promised
to indemnify him for so doing. The judge, however, did his duty, and
threatened to send the marshal to prison if he attempted to violate the
protection of the court. Mr. Herbert, the president of Nevis, behaved
with singular generosity upon this occasion. Though no man was a greater
sufferer by the measures which Nelson had pursued, he offered in court
to become his bail for L10,000 if he chose to suffer the arrest. The
lawyer whom he had chosen proved to be an able as well as an honest man;
and notwithstanding the opinions and pleadings of most of the counsel
of the different islands, who maintained that ships of war were not
justified in seizing American vessels without a deputation from the
customs, the law was so explicit, the case so clear, and Nelson pleaded
his own cause s