that we
might put into Spithead, whence I should have an opportunity of sending
my letter on shore, even though I should be unable to get leave to go
myself. As a pressed man, I knew that I should have a difficulty in
obtaining that.

The _Venus_ had been hurriedly fitted out. She had no marines on board,
while she was twenty seamen short of her complement. She was rated as a
thirty-two gun frigate, mounting twenty-four long twelve-pounders on the
main-deck, with six eighteen-pounder carronades and eight long
six-pounders on her quarter-deck and forecastle, which gave her a total
of thirty-eight guns. Thus, except her carronades, her guns were of
light calibre. We were somewhere about a hundred leagues north-west of
Cape Finisterre when a sail was seen to the south-east. Captain Pellew,
as senior officer, ordered Captain Faulknor (the _Venus_ being much the
nearer) to chase. We at the same time made out another sail to the
eastward. Hoping that she might be an enemy, we immediately steered for
her. She proved, however, to be an English frigate bound out with
despatches to the West Indies. As her captain could not go out of his
way to look after the Frenchman, we bore up alone to follow the _Venus_,
hoping to get up in time to take part in the engagement, should she be
fortunate enough to bring the stranger to action. We could calculate
pretty accurately whereabouts to find our consort, when about noon the
next day it came on calm for some hours, and though we set all sail, the
ship made but little progress through the water.

Late in the evening, the sound of rapid firing reached our ears, and we
knew that the _Venus_ must be engaged, but whether or not with a ship of
superior force, it was impossible to decide. It greatly tried our
patience to hear the sound of the battle and yet not be able to take
part in it. Even I was aroused, and for a time forgot my own troubles.
The midshipmen went aloft to the mastheads, but still they were unable
to catch sight of the combatants. The fast-coming gloom concealed the
clouds of smoke which might have risen above the horizon and shown their
position.

The officers walked the deck with hurried strides, their glasses in
their hands, every now and then turning them in the direction from which
the sound came, though they knew they were not likely to see anything.

The men stood about whistling for a wind until it seemed as if their
cheeks would crack.

At last the