the 4th of June the old ship
anchored at San Fiorenzo, having a few days before, with the
assistance of the squadron, cut out from under the French batteries
the vessels carrying Bonaparte's siege-train, as well as the gunboats
which convoyed them. There was then in the bay the "Egmont,"
seventy-four, whose commander had expressed to the admiral his wish to
return to England. Jervis, therefore, had ordered Nelson to the spot,
to make the exchange, and the latter thought the matter settled; but
to his surprise he found the captain did not wish to leave the station
unless the ship went also. This did away with the vacancy he looked to
fill; and, as the "Agamemnon," from her condition, must be the first
of the fleet to go home, it seemed for the moment likely that he would
have to go in her with a convoy then expected in the bay. "I remained
in a state of uncertainty for a week," he wrote to his wife; "and had
the corn ships, which were momentarily expected from Naples, arrived,
I should have sailed for England." The dilemma caused him great
anxiety; for the longing for home, which he had felt in the early part
of the winter, had given away entirely before the pride and confidence
he felt in the new admiral, and the keen delight in active service he
was now enjoying. "I feel full of gratitude for your good wishes
towards me," he wrote to Jervis in the first moment of disappointment,
"and highly flattered by your desire to have me continue to serve
under your command, which I own would afford me infinite
satisfaction." The following day he is still more restless. "I am not
less anxious than yesterday for having slept since my last letter.
Indeed, Sir, I cannot bear the thoughts of leaving your command." He
then proposed several ways out of the difficulty, which reduced
themselves, in short, to a readiness to hoist his pendant in anything,
if only he could remain.

No violent solution was needed, as several applicants came forward
when Nelson's wish was known. On the 11th of June, 1796, he shifted
his broad pendant to the "Captain," of seventy-four guns, taking with
him most of his officers. Soon afterwards the "Agamemnon" sailed for
England. Up to the last day of his stay on board, Nelson, although a
commodore, was also her captain; it was not until two months after
joining his new ship that another captain was appointed to her,
leaving to himself the duties of commodore only. In later years the
"Agamemnon" more than once