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Chapter 2 - Old Sea Dog -
From There Go the Ships by George Shirley

Page 16
the top on the larboard and the yard on the starboard side. There we lay with our hatches battened down, the ship's company only having bread and cheese for three clays, the provisions on the lower deck being spoiled. At last, clearing our deck, we got her before the wind. We had parted with the frigates and corvette in the gale; made signal for the Alexander to take us in tow; steered for St. Pierre's Bay, but nearly got on the rocks in a cairn. A breeze, however, springing up we got safely in, in company and with the help of the Orion. Fitted the ship

 
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with a jury foremast. Whilst refitting here we heard that the French fleet had passed, bound for Egypt. (They might have taken us all.) As soon as ready we sailed for Toulon, and fell in with ten sail of the line, one fifty, and one brig, come to reinforce us. But where were the frigates-Alas! Where? - so very essential to the operation of a fleet which has to hunt out an enemy ? There were none. We then made sail after the French, passed up between Elba and Corsica, hence to Naples; had communication with the shore, but no news of the French. What Nelson wanted now was frigates to cruise in different directions to gather up intelligence. He called them the eyes of the fleet, the scouts, who were to be here, there, and everywhere. As it was, he was obliged to keep his fleet of seventy-fours together, but being without frigates the French fleet escaped him. Sailing through the Faro-de Messina, where we were cheered by thousands of people on shore and in boats, past Candia, thence to Alexandria, but no French, arriving at Aboukir

© Peter Smith 2008