here very well on Tuesday eveng. Wednesday I sent Newson and
Crew over to Portsmouth, where they didn't see the one thing I sent them
for, namely, Nelson's Ship, the 'Victory,' but where they bought two Pair
of Trousers, which they call 'Dungaree.' Yesterday we went to Poole--a
place I had long a very slight Desire to see; and which was not worth the
seeing. To-day we came back here: I regretting rather we had not run
further along the Coast to Weymouth and Teignmouth, where I should have
seen my Friend Mansfield the Shipwright. It was a little weakness of
mine, in _not_ changing orders, but, having talked of going only to
Poole, I left it as it was. The weather has been only _too_ fine: the
sea too calm. Here we are in front of this pretty place, with many
Yachts at anchor and sailing about us: nearly all Schooners, little and
great, of all which I think we are the 'Pitman' (see Moor's 'Words'). I
must say I am very tired of seeing only Schooners. Newson was beaten
horribly yesterday by a Ryde open Boat of about 7 or 8 tons, which stood
right into the wind, but he soon afterwards completely distanced a Billy-
boy, which put us in Spirits again. I am very contented (in my way)
pottering about here alone, or with my Crew of two, and I believe cd
bundle on for a Month in such a way. But I shall soon be home. I have
thought of you To-day when your Sale is going on, at the same time as my
_Sail_. Pretty Wit! . . ."

* * * * *

The next letter refers to an accident that befell the Scandal. She was
lying at Lowestoft, in the Fishmarket basin, when a huge Continental
steamer came drifting down on her. "Mr FitzGerald," so Mr Spalding tells
me, "just said in his slow melodious voice, {103} 'My poor little ship
will be cracked like a nutshell;' and he took my arm to force me ashore.
But I refused to go unless he went too, and just then the cable held on
the weather-side of the steamer towering up above us; still, our 'channel-
boards,' over which the shrouds are tautened, were crushed up flat to the
yacht's side, and perhaps some stanchions were injured too."

"SCANDAL, _Sept._ 19, '66. [Ib.]

". . . Mr Manby is wrong about our getting no compensation for the Damage
(so far as it cd be _seen_) inflicted on us by the steamer. Whether we
could _claim_ it or not, the Steamer Captain granted it: being (as Newson
says) quite a Gentleman, &c. So we have had the Carpenters for two Days,
who have restored the broken S