their brave leader, who
was conveyed on board our frigate, and placed under the care of our
surgeon. Though he suffered much from his wound, his thoughts were
still with his friends ashore.

It was, I think, about two days afterwards, being anxious to communicate
with his friend the Comte de Sombreuil, at Fort Penthievre, which was
under the command of the Comte de Puisaye, he requested that a messenger
might be sent on shore with a letter. Captain Keats accordingly ordered
Mr Harvey, one of the senior midshipmen, to take the letter, and
allowed him to select a man to accompany him. He chose me, I having
served with him already in two ships, and being well-known to him.

We at once, shoving off in the second gig under charge of another
midshipman, pulled for the beach nearest the fort, towards which, as
soon as we landed, we made our way. We remarked six transports, laden,
as we were told, with provisions and stores of all sorts, come to an
anchor as close to the fort as they could bring up.

As we stepped on shore, Mr Harvey directed the gig to return without
delay to the frigate. "I don't like the look of the weather," he
observed, "and depend upon it, before nightfall, it will come on to blow
hard."

We were to remain at the fort until the following morning, when the boat
was to come in again and take us off.

Mr Harvey delivered his despatch to the young Comte, who received him
very graciously, and gave him the best accommodation he could for the
night, while I, that I might be ready to attend to his wants, was
allowed to sleep on a sofa in a little ante-room outside of the one he
occupied.

Mr Harvey told me that the Count was greatly out of spirits in
consequence of the numerous desertions which had taken place from the
fort. Various causes were at work. Some of the garrison were
Republicans at heart, and others, hopeless of the success of the
Royalists, were afraid of the consequences should they remain. One or
two plots had been discovered, but the conspirators had been seized, and
it was hoped that those who had been won over would be deterred from
carrying out their plans.

Notwithstanding these forebodings of evil, the officers met, as I
suppose was their custom, at an early supper. I looked in with some of
the attendants to see what was going forward. The table was covered
with all sorts of good things, such as French cooks know well how to
prepare. Wine flowed freely, and conversation se