ame affixed from being written close to the bottom, I could
not read; the servant told me it was from an army officer, and
concluding that he might be an officer from Spain, and that
some accident had befallen to my brother, I hastened back, and
found Captain Berenger, who, in great seeming uneasiness, made
many apologies for the freedom he had used, which nothing but
the distressed state of his mind, arising from difficulties,
could have induced him to do; all his prospects he said had
failed, and his last hope had vanished of obtaining an
appointment in America, he was unpleasantly circumstanced on
account of a sum which he could not pay, and if he could that
others would fall upon him, for full L8000. He had no hope of
benefitting his creditors in his present situation, or of
assisting himself, that if I would take him with me, he would
immediately go on board and exercise the Sharp Shooters (which
plan Sir Alexander Cochrane I knew had approved of;) that he
had left his lodgings and prepared himself in the best way his
means allowed. He had brought the sword with him which had
been his father's, and to that and to Sir Alexander he would
trust for obtaining an honorable appointment. I felt very
uneasy at the distress he was in, and knowing him to be a man
of great talent and science, I told him I would do every thing
in my power to relieve him, but as to his going immediately to
the Tonnant with any comfort to himself, it was quite
impossible; my cabin was without furniture, I had not even a
servant on board. He said he would willingly mess any where;
I told him that the ward-room was already crouded, and
besides, I could not, with propriety, take him, he being a
foreigner, without leave from the Admiralty. He seemed greatly
hurt at this, and recalled to my recollection certificates
which he had formerly shewn me from persons in official
situations: Lord Yarmouth, General Jenkinson, and Mr. Reeves,
I think, were amongst the number. I recommended him to use his
endeavour to get them or any other friends to exert their
influence, for I had none, adding that when the Tonnant went
to Portsmouth, I should be happy to receive him, and I knew
from Sir Alexander Cochrane that he would be pleased if he
accomplished that object. Captain Berenger