E., I never saw; but by always going away large, we generally
lose much of their force and the heavy sea. By the great care and
attention of every captain, we have suffered much less than could have
been expected. I do not believe Lord St. Vincent would have kept the
sea with such ships. However, with nursing our ships, we have roughed
it out better than could have been expected. We either run to the
southward, or furl all the sails and make the ships as easy as
possible." Under such circumstances, it was no small nor unworthy
boast he made near the close of the cruise, when the first ineffectual
attempt of the French to leave Toulon ended in numerous accidents.
"These gentlemen are not accustomed to a Gulf of Lyons gale, which we
have buffeted for twenty-one months, and not carried away a spar."
Nelson himself, though reckless to desperation when an adequate object
was at stake, in the moments of repose husbanded his means, and looked
to the efficiency of his instruments, with the diligence of a miser.
With his own hand he noted the weather indications, including the
barometer, at least three times every twenty-four hours, and
occasionally even more often.

A rendezvous, however advantageous, was not permitted by Nelson to
become a permanent station, or a long-continued resting-place for the
fleet. In the inevitable monotony of a watch protracted so far beyond
his original expectations, his sleepless solicitude for the health and
contentment of the ships' companies warned him that lack of mental
interest saps the spirit, and wears away the strength, beyond the
power of mere bodily comfort to prevent. On Number 97 was kept always
a ship--frigate or smaller cruiser--with word where the admiral was to
be found at any time; and thither resorted the vessels returning from
their missions to all parts of the station, or coming out from
England. "Rejoin me at Number 97," their instructions ran, "where you
will find me, or orders for your further proceedings." Other
rendezvous there were, of course, each with its own number, and with a
cruiser if at sea; but in the anchorages occasionally resorted to, as
Madalena, or the Gulf of Palmas in the south of Sardinia,
communications were left on shore. With the threads thus reaching from
these centres to the different parts of his command, Nelson's habit
was to keep his fleet in motion from point to point, in the stretch of
sea bounded on the one side by the coast of Spain, as far sou