longer sleep,
those at the oars continued two hours before they were relieved.
Providentially, the weather continued fine, and the sea almost as calm
as a mill-pond; thus we were able to make between sixty and seventy
miles a day.

I cannot describe the events of each day, as they are much confused in
my mind. We did our utmost to keep up our spirits: sometimes we sang,
and sometimes we told such stories as we could remember, either of
fiction or truth. Had poor Dick Tillard been alive and with us, his
fund of yarns would have been invaluable. We frequently spoke of him,
and mourned his loss. Mudge had seen a good deal of service, but he had
not the happy knack of describing what had happened to him in the
graphic, racy way poor Dick had of spinning a yarn. Mudge had been with
Lord Cochrane during the war, and had taken part in some of his most
gallant adventures. He was with him on board the _Pallas_ when her
boats had gallantly cut out the _Tapageuse_ brig, and afterwards in her
action with the _Minerva_, a ship nearly double her size; but his
gallant commander having been, by the malignity of his foes, compelled
to leave the navy, he himself had very little prospect of ever getting
his promotion.

He gave us an account of the capture off Barcelona, by the _Speedy_
sloop-of-war, of the _Gamo_ frigate, more than twice her size. The
_Speedy_ was a little craft, of one hundred and fifty-eight tons only,
and carried fourteen pop-guns--four-pounders--with a crew of fifty-four
men; while the _Gamo_ measured six hundred tons, and had thirty-two
guns, with a crew of three hundred and nineteen men. After a desperate
action, Lord Cochrane laid the little _Speedy_ on board his big
antagonist. He had ordered his men to blacken their faces; and one
party, led by his gallant Lieutenant Parker, boarded at the bow, and
soon gained a footing on the enemy's deck. Their begrimed faces and the
impetuosity of their onset struck dismay into the hearts of the
Spaniards, and they incontinently gave way. Meantime Lord Cochrane
headed the aftermost division; and the enemy, thus unexpectedly assailed
fore and aft, were driven a confused mass into the waist. Here a
desperate hand-to-hand struggle ensued; till one of the _Speedy's_ men,
having by the captain's direction fought his way to the ensign-staff,
hauled down the Spanish colours, when the Spaniards, believing that
their officers had struck the flag, cried out for quarter. T