lymouth, we came in sight of
the Rock of Gibraltar, and brought up in the bay. Lord Robert delivered
the despatches he had brought out to the governor. We got leave to land
and visit the wonderful galleries hewn out in the Rock, which had bid
defiance to the fleets and armies of France and Spain when General
Elliot was in command of the place, in 1782, while we were in the West
Indies. We heard many particulars of the gallant defence. General
Elliot had comparatively a small force of troops to garrison the
fortress, but they were reinforced by the seamen of the fleet, who were
landed, and formed into a brigade under the command of Captain Robert
Curtis, of the _Brilliant_ frigate. The French and Spaniards had a
fleet of forty-seven sail of the line, besides floating batteries of a
peculiar construction, frigates, zebecks, gun and mortar boats, and
upwards of 40,000 troops, who besieged the fortress on the land side.
The naval brigade had charge of the batteries at Europa Point, and so
ably did they work their guns, that they soon compelled the Spanish
squadron to retire out of the reach of their shot. Besides the vessels
I have mentioned, the Spaniards had 300 large boats, collected from
every part of Spain, which were to be employed in landing the troops.
Early in the morning on the 13th September, the fleet, under the command
of Admiral Moreno, got under way, and, approaching to a distance of
about a thousand yards, commenced a heavy cannonade, the troops on the
land side opening fire at the same time. It was replied to by the
garrison with tremendous showers of red-hot shot, which, falling on
board the Spanish ships, set that of the admiral and another on fire.
The Spaniards were seen in vain attempting to extinguish the flames.
The fiery shower was kept up, and during the night seven more vessels
took fire in succession. The Spaniards were seen making signals of
distress, and the boats of their fleet came to their assistance, but
were so assailed by the showers of shot, that they dared no longer
approach, and were compelled to abandon their ships and friends to the
flames.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

When morning broke, a scene of fearful havoc was exhibited. Numbers of
men were seen in the midst of the flames imploring relief, others
floating on pieces of timber; and even those on board the ships where
the fire had made but little progress were entreating to be taken off.
Captain