, the delayed British fleet suddenly appeared in the
offing, evidently with the intention of bearing down upon the island. But
on this occasion the luck was all on the side of the French, for scarcely
had the eagerly expected ships hove in sight, than the besieged garrison
had the mortification to see their hopes of succour overthrown by the
uprising of one of those sudden squalls, so common on the Mediterranean,
which drove the warships southward. More than one assault was repulsed
with heavy loss by the small English garrison, which had already been
deprived of half its numbers at Ana-Capri, including the gallant Major
Hamill, whose death is commemorated in a marble tablet set in the little
piazza of the town. But with the retirement of the relieving fleet and the
continuance of foul weather, Colonel Lowe deemed it useless to resist
further, and like a sensible man decided to capitulate on the best terms
he could obtain. In return for his immediate surrender of Capri the
British commandant accordingly stipulated that his garrison should be
allowed to embark and sail for Sicily unmolested, and that the persons and
property of the islanders, who seem to have appreciated the British
occupation, should be respected. But Lamarque, on communicating Colonel
Lowe's request to King Murat, received peremptory orders to demand an
unconditional surrender, whereupon an aide-de-camp of the King's, a
certain Colonel Manches, was sent to interview Lowe with the royal letter
in his pocket. Had the missive been delivered to him, the British Governor
would in all probability have decided to fight to the bitter end rather
than to submit to such severe and humiliating conditions. Happily so
terrible a catastrophe, which must have involved heavy loss of life on
both sides, followed by a sack of the town, was unexpectedly, averted at
the last moment, for whilst Manches was actually advancing with a flag of
truce, the approach of the British fleet was again signalled from the
look-out on the hill now called the Telegrafo. Before the Governor could
be made aware of this piece of news, Colonel Manches, cunningly keeping
his master's imperious letter in his pocket, told Colonel Lowe that King
Murat was ready to accept the terms of surrender offered. The weather
being propitious, the British fleet would have been able this time to
reach the island, but its nearer approach was prevented by Colonel Lowe
himself, who sent to acquaint the Admiral, much