-operation; leaving Nelson with six frigates to conduct the blockade
and take such other steps as the opportunities might justify. By the
middle of March, nearly three months having elapsed since her last
hasty visit to Leghorn, the "Agamemnon" was wholly destitute of
supplies. "We are really," wrote Nelson to Hood, "without firing,
wine, beef, pork, flour, and almost without water: not a rope, canvas,
twine, or nail in the ship. The ship is so light she cannot hold her
side to the wind.... We are certainly in a bad plight at present, not
a man has slept dry for many months. Yet," he continues, with that
indomitable energy which made light of mere difficulties of material,
and conveys so impressive a lesson to our modern days, when slight
physical defects appear insurmountable, and ships not wholly up to
date are counted obsolete,--"yet if your Lordship wishes me to remain
off Bastia, I can, by going to Porto Ferrajo, get water and stores,
and twenty-four hours in Leghorn will give us provisions; and our
refitting, which will take some time, can be put off a little. My wish
is to be present at the attack of Bastia."

On the 18th of March Hood summoned him to San Fiorenzo. The difference
between him and Dundas had become a quarrel, and the latter had
quitted his command. Hood wished to strengthen the argument with his
successor, by a report of the observations made by Nelson; but the
latter records that, after expressing his opinion that eight hundred
troops with four hundred seamen could reduce the place, it was found
that all the army was united against an attack, declaring the
impossibility of taking Bastia, even if all the force were
united,--and this, notwithstanding that an engineer and an artillery
officer had visited the scene, and agreed with Nelson that there was a
probability of success. On the north side both they and he considered
the place weak, and at the same time found the ground favorable for
establishing the siege guns. Moreover, even during the winter gales,
he had succeeded in so closing the sea approaches, while the revolted
Corsicans intercepted those by land, that a pound of coarse bread was
selling for three francs. The spring equinox was now near at hand, and
with better weather the blockade would be yet more efficient. Between
actual attack and famine, he argued, the place must fall. "Not
attacking it I could not but consider as a national disgrace. If the
Army will not take it, we must, by som