nuary--"a thing unprecedented in nautical
history," he wrote to the Admiralty, "but although the danger from the
rapidity of the current was great, yet so was the object of my
pursuit; and I relied with confidence on the zeal and ability of the
fleet under my command." The same day, knowing now that Sicily and
Naples were not threatened, he despatched six cruisers for
intelligence, "in all directions from Tunis to Toulon;" three of them
being frigates, which were to rendezvous off the latter port and
resume the watch of the French, if found there. A seventh vessel was
sent ahead of the squadron to Koron, off which he appeared on the 2d
of February, and, still getting no news, went on to Alexandria, where
he communicated with the British consul on the 7th. "I beg the boat
may not be detained, nor must any communication be had with the
officer, so as to put the ship in quarantine. The officer is ordered
not to wait more than thirty minutes; for you will readily believe my
anxiety to find out the enemy's fleet." No news was to be had; but it
was ascertained that Egypt was practically defenceless against any
renewed attempts of the French.

Nelson at once started back to the westward. On the 19th of February,
twelve days after leaving Alexandria, he was off Malta, and there for
the first time received information that the enemy had returned to
Toulon in a very crippled state. It was now necessary to regain his
station as speedily as possible, and also to resume the operation of
victualling the squadron, which had been interrupted at Madalena by
the news of the enemy's sailing. The captain left there in charge of
the transports had taken them for safety to Malta, in pursuance of the
orders left with him, and they would have to be convoyed again to the
Gulf of Palmas, which was appointed for their joining. The incident
shows at once the forehandedness of Nelson, in that he was able
immediately to go on so long a chase, and also the difficulties
attendant upon the administration of the fleet. Against the prevailing
winds the convoy did not reach Palmas until the 14th of March. The
fleet had preceded it there by a week. After a tedious beat, in which
eight days were consumed to make the three hundred and fifty miles to
windward, Nelson anchored on the 27th of February in Pula Roads, Gulf
of Cagliari, just to hold on. "What weather!" wrote he to Bickerton,
when the anchor dropped. "Did you ever see such in almost any country?
I