Hagger; still the hopes of so soon being at home again made
me think less of them than I might otherwise have done, and contributed
greatly to restore my strength. I was treated in the kindest way by the
doctor, and many others on board, who, having heard my history,
commiserated my hitherto hard fate. A fair breeze carried us up
Channel. When I was able to go on deck I kept a look-out, half
expecting to see an enemy's ship bear down on us, although, unless she
should be a powerful frigate or line-of-battle ship, she would have had
a hard job to capture the _Solway Castle_, which was well armed, and
carried a numerous crew. Still I could not help recollecting the old
saying, "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip." The truth
was, I had not yet recovered my full strength, and the doctor remarked
that I required tonics to set me up and drive gloomy thoughts out of my
head. We kept well over to the English coast to avoid the risk of
falling in with French cruisers. We had got abreast of Portland when a
strange sail was made out to the southward, which, as she was seen
edging in towards the land, it was supposed without doubt was an enemy.
The passengers, of whom there were a good number returning after a long
absence from India, began to look very blue.

"Never fear, ladies and gentlemen," I heard the captain observe, "we'll
show the Frenchman that we're not afraid of him, and the chances are,
make him afraid of us." Saying this, he ordered the studden sails we
had carried to be taken in, and the royals to be set, and then bringing
the ship on a wind, boldly stood out towards the stranger. The effect
was as desired. The stranger, hauling her wind, stood away to the
southward, taking us probably for a line-of-battle ship, which the stout
old "tea chest" resembled at a distance. By yawing and towing a sail
overboard, we stopped our way, until the captain thought the object had
been answered, when once more, squaring away the yards, we continued our
course up the Channel.

As we passed the Isle of Wight, I cast many a look at its picturesque
shores, hoping that a pilot boat might put off at the Needles, and that
I might have the opportunity of returning in her, but none boarded us
until we were near the Downs, when, unfortunately, I was below, and
before I could get on deck the boat was away. However, I consoled
myself with the reflection that in another day or two we should be safe
in the Thames, and I