h on her first cruise on the 2nd
of March; and in the following week, the squadron captured fifteen out
of a convoy of twenty-five vessels, which had taken shelter among the
rocks of the Penmarcks. On the 7th of May, she had a most narrow escape
from shipwreck. The extraordinary circumstances connected with the
accident, are related in the words of the late Capt. George Bell, at
that time one of the officers.

"In the summer of 1795, the _Indefatigable_, when cruising off Cape
Finisterre, fell in with Admiral Waldegrave's squadron of line-of-battle
ships, and the _Concorde_ frigate. The admiral made signal for the
_Indefatigable_ and _Concorde_ to chase a small strange sail running
along shore. All sail was soon set, royals, top-gallant studding-sails,
&c., the wind being northerly, and the water as smooth as glass. At
noon, Mr. George Bell, acting master, was in the act of crossing from
the starboard gangway to the quarter-deck, to report twelve o'clock to
the captain, who was looking over the larboard quarter-deck hammocks at
the land, and strange sail, when he suddenly heard a rumbling noise, as
if a top-sail-tie had given way, and the yard was coming down. He looked
aloft, but saw nothing amiss, and then perceived that the ship was
aground. Mr. Bell instantly sprang into the main-chains, and dropped the
hand lead over. Only eighteen feet water was on the rock, the ship
drawing nineteen and a half feet abaft. There were twelve and fourteen
fathoms under the how and stern, consequently she hung completely in the
centre. Sir Edward, whose judgment in moments of danger was always so
correct and decisive as never to have occasion to give a second order,
immediately directed some of the main-deck guns to be moved, and the
ship's company to sally her off the rock. This fortunately succeeded.
The ship fell over heavily, and started into deep water, with five feet
water in her hold. Signals of distress were now made to the flag-ship,
and the admiral ordered the _Indefatigable_ to proceed to Lisbon to
repair, and the _Concorde_ to accompany us to the mouth of the Tagus. We
arrived on the third day after the accident. So serious was the leak,
that the men could not quit the pumps for a moment, and only a good
ship's company, such as we had, could have kept the ship afloat.

"On the evening of our arrival, the English consul sent on board a
number of Portuguese, to relieve the crew. Early next morning (having
the morning watch