ands. Part of our army was then embarked for the
East Indies and the Cape of Good Hope, whilst we others went on an
expedition about a hundred miles up the Rio de la Plata to get fresh
water, and when we returned proceeded on our way homewards from that
part of the world.

The first part of our voyage was very pleasant, the troops in general
keeping very healthy; but when we had sailed some distance, we had a
dead calm for a considerable time, which made us much longer on our
voyage than we had thought for, and consequently our water supply ran
very short, and had to be served out in allowances of half a pint a
day. A small supply, however, fortunately came before long. Our
captain, seeing a cloud in the distance, foretold that we were going
to have a thunderstorm, and ordered the scupper-holes to be stopped,
and all except the watch to remain below. I happened to be one of the
watch at the time, and well I remember how it very shortly after began
to thunder and lighten, the rain falling in torrents for two or three
hours; it was the heaviest thunderstorm I had ever witnessed. We baled
up some twenty or more casks of water, which was none the better,
perhaps, for there being pigs, fowls, geese, and turkeys all over the
deck, but still was very acceptable to us in our parched state, as
till that we had had to cook our food and wash ourselves in salt water
only.

During the storm our mainmast was struck by the lightning, which split
a piece off it from top to bottom, but fortunately did not disable it;
but a sad mishap befell one of our men while sitting at mess at the
time, for he was struck dead, his shirt being burnt in places like
tinder, and his mess-tin being likewise turned black, while the top of
a bayonet that was standing close to the unfortunate man was melted
like lead. The blow had shaken our little bark so terribly that the
captain ordered the pumps to be tried; fortunately there was no
leakage to be found, but the lightning must have got well down below,
for on opening the main hatchway the sulphur came up enough to
suffocate any one.

After the storm, the calm still continued, and we had to amuse
ourselves as best we could with fishing; a few days after a breeze
sprang up, but it was foul for England, and we had to knock about till
a more favourable one blew up, which finally landed us in the Cove of
Cork. We spent the Christmas of 1807 on board, sending on shore for
raisins, flour, fat, and beer, and