TER III.

RETURN TO ENGLAND.

Sail for England with despatches--A lunar rainbow--A two-tailed
fish--Reach Falmouth after passage of fifteen days--To Plymouth to
refit--All leave refused--Sailors' frolics ashore--To sea
again--Cruise off French coast and Channel Islands--Run aground off
Guernsey--Return to Plymouth to repair damages--Rejoin fleet--French
fleet escapes into Brest--Return to Plymouth to refit for foreign
service--Transhipped to H.M.S. _Hannibal_--Description of the ship's
officers--Tricks played on the Irish chaplain.

On the 14th of April, 1794, we were ordered to receive on board a superior
officer of the Navy and Army with the despatches for England, also several
wounded officers and the colours taken from the forts and churches. In the
evening we saluted the admiral and left the bay for England.

On our passage, during a middle watch, I beheld a splendid and most
perfect lunar rainbow. It extended from the stern of the frigate to some
considerable distance. These bows are generally more distinct than the
solar, owing to the glare of light not being so great.

We were followed for some days by a fish with two regular tails. It was
about three feet long, of a bluish colour, and shaped like a salmon. We
endeavoured by every possible stratagem to take it, but it was either too
shy or too cunning to be caught. Fifteen days after quitting Martinique we
anchored at Falmouth. The officers in charge of the despatches left the
ship to proceed to London.

After having taken on board water and refreshments we repaired to
Plymouth, ran into Hamoaze, lashed alongside a receiving hulk, unrigged
and got the guns and stores out, and were afterwards taken into dock to
have the copper cleaned and repaired.

Now, reader, I hope you will not think me unreasonable when I make known
to you that I wished to see my mother, but I might as well have asked for
a captain's commission. The time was too precious, and we were of too much
use to be spared to see our mammas, so the second lieutenant said, and
that was a sufficient damper. He had his wife in snug lodgings at Dock; he
neither felt for us nor our mammas, so one of the youngsters remarked.

Whilst the frigate is refitting, I will describe some of our sailors'
frolics on shore. Returning one afternoon from Plymouth, I met two hackney
coaches driving very rapidly. The first of them c