ollowing day old Rough-and-Ready,
who was always happier at sea than in harbour, gave the order to unmoor
ship. Visitors were sent on shore, and sail being made, we stood out of
Portsmouth harbour to Spithead. We there dropped our anchor near the
spot where, four years before, the _Royal George_ with brave Admiral
Kempenfeldt and upwards of four hundred men, went down. A large buoy
marked the place where the stout ship lay beneath the waves.

Some cases of claret and other stores which Lord Robert expected had not
arrived, and he declared that it would be impossible to put to sea
without them. It was a matter of perfect indifference to us in the
midshipmen's berth how long we remained, or where we went, for in those
piping times of peace we expected to have very little to do. In that
respect we were not mistaken. After waiting three days, the expected
stores, which had come down from London by waggon, were brought
alongside, and, going out by Saint Helen's, we stood down Channel. We
put into Plymouth Sound, where we remained a whole week, while Lord
Robert went on shore; but as it was impossible to say at what moment we
might be ordered to sea, no leave was granted. We all wished for a gale
of wind from the south-west, which might compel us to run into Hamoaze,
as the Sound itself afforded no shelter. Lord Robert had better have
kept at sea if he had wished to remain on the home station, for by some
means or other information was sent to the Admiralty of our being at
Plymouth, and a courier came down post haste from London, with
despatches for the _Jason_ to convey to the Mediterranean. We were well
pleased when the news was brought aboard. The captain, however, looked
in not very good humour at having to go so far from home. The wind
being to the eastward, we immediately got under weigh, and proceeded on
our course down Channel. Old Rough-and-Ready tried his best to restore
the men to their former discipline, by exercising them at the guns, and
repeatedly shortening and making sail. The despatches, I suppose, were
of no great importance, as Lord Robert appeared not to be in a hurry to
deliver them. We took it easily, therefore, and at times, when the wind
was light or contrary, furling everything, and then making all sail
again; that done, we had once more to reef and furl sails, and to brace
the yards about. However, at last we got a strong breeze and continued
our course. About a month after leaving P