y with the
_Standard_, sixty-four, to summon the Governor of Belle Isle to deliver
up the island for the use of the French king.

The boat proceeded to the shore with a flag of truce, carrying a long
letter from the captain of the _Standard_. A very short reply was
received, we heard, from the Republican general, who declared that, as
he was well supplied with provisions and artillery, we might come when
we liked, and he should be ready for us.

I know that we sailed away and left him alone. Soon after this we were
joined by the _Jason_ frigate, escorting a fleet of transports,
containing four thousand British troops, under command of Major-General
Doyle, who was accompanied by the Comte d'Artois and several other
French noblemen. The troops were landed on the Isle d'Yeu with
provisions, stores, and clothing, and there they remained doing nothing,
for nothing could be done. The Republicans, under their clever, daring
chiefs, had completely gained the upper hand, and the Royalist cause was
lost. We meantime had to enjoy the luxuries of salt pork and mouldy
biscuit, either blockading the enemy's ports or looking out for their
cruisers or merchantmen.

Thus we continued week after week, month after month, until my heart
grew sick at the long delay. We had occasional opportunities of writing
home, and I always availed myself of them, but I got very few letters in
return, though my wife wrote frequently. The packet was often carried
on to the Mediterranean, or to other more distant parts of the world.

At last, while cruising with three other frigates and an eighteen gun
brig, the _Sylph_, off the mouth of the river Gironde, we one morning
made out a French frigate in the south-south-west, standing in towards
the entrance of the river, the wind being at the time north-north-west.
Our frigate and the _Sylph_ were close in with the land, while our
consorts were considerably astern of us. We immediately crowded all
sail to cut off the French frigate from the mouth of the river, while
our captain ordered several signals to be made, intended to deceive her
and induce her to suppose that we were also French. Dick Hagger and I
were on the forecastle.

"She'll take the bait, I hope," he observed, glancing up at the strange
bunting which was being run up at the fore royal masthead and quickly
lowered. "See, she's answering. Well, it may be all ship-shape, but I
don't like telling lies, even to an enemy. Hurrah! I su