's beauty perfectly astonished
the recluses of Torbay; some misbelieved altogether, while the
curiosity of others was excited beyond all bounds. A general
proposition was now made, that I should bundle them, like live cattle,
into my little cutter, and take them all on board to gratify their
curiosity at once. This was quite contrary to orders. Not a soul was
allowed to come on board the ship, and I had to plead a thousand
excuses for my want of gallantry, in not complying with the very
natural wish of my young companions. As far as I was concerned,
resistance was vain; I was again seized, hurried down to the boat, and
had the pleasure of seeing it filled to cramming with the charmers of
Torbay. This was a devil of a mess;--I might as well have gone into
the mouth of a cannon, as have carried such a cargo alongside the
ship,--the thing was impossible. So I had nothing for it, but to call
aside the boat's crew, and whisper to them to use gentle violence with
my young boarders, and set them down on shore. This was glorious fun
to Jack;--to work they fell, and in the midst of screams, laughter,
and a few d----n my eyes, ma'am, don't kick so hard, on the part of
the Bellerophons, we had our nymphs safely deposited on terra firma,
and were off in a trice, enjoying the general discomfiture of the poor
ladies, who were equally laughed at by the lookers-on, on shore.... We
left Torbay, on the 26th July at 4 A.M., and at 4 in the evening came
to an anchor in Plymouth Sound, just within the breakwater, then only
beginning to shew its head above water at low tide. It has since, I am
told, been made a splendid affair; but it then only afforded footing
for a few gazers from the shore, who perched themselves upon it to
watch the cabin-windows of the Bellerophon, in hopes of getting a
glimpse of the Emperor.

* * * * *

The signal for the Emperor's being on deck was the officers
uncovering. No sooner was this ceremony noticed, than the rush from
without took place, and the screaming and swearing commenced, which
was very considerably heightened upon one occasion by a plan of some
of our wise-headed young gentlemen. Being in want of amusement, they
bethought them of priming the fire engine, which happened to be
standing on the poop, and after clapping a relay of hands ready to ply
it to advantage, we uncovered, and waited the approach of the boats.
No sooner were they within reach, than off went the wat