movements of the enemy's fleet, probably the largest they
ever had at sea, for it numbered, with the Spaniards, forty sail of the
line, all concurred to prevent it from becoming an object of public
attention. But Earl St. Vincent appreciated Sir Edward's conduct very
highly. "Your brother," he once said to Mr. Pellew, "is an excellent and
valuable officer, but the most important service he ever rendered to his
country was saving the British fleet in Bantry Bay. We know that it was
the intention to burn the ships, and join the rebels on shore."

When the time arrived for executing the mutineers, it was found that
preparations had been made to give to their fate the appearance of a
triumph. For it strongly marks the general feeling in the navy during
this unhappy period, that the individuals who thus suffered were
regarded rather as martyrs than criminals. Encouraged to hardihood by
his mistaken shipmates, generally excited by spirits, and some times
even decorated with knots of ribbon, the mutineer went boldly to
execution, leaving the spectators less appalled at his fate, than
admiring his fearless bearing. Sir Edward quickly changed this feeling
when the prisoners came up to the forecastle. Addressing a few words,
first to the men who had followed him from the _Indefatigable_, and
afterwards to the rest of the crew, "_Indefatigables_" he said, "stand
aside! not one of you shall touch the rope. But _you_, who have
encouraged your shipmates to the crime by which they have forfeited
their lives, it shall be your punishment to hang them!" Quailing before
their commander, their false feeling was destroyed in a moment; and as
there is no medium between the hardihood and the cowardice of guilt,
they felt as he intended, and many of them wept aloud. Afterwards, there
was not in the service a more orderly ship than the _Impetueux_, or a
crew more pleasant to command.

Considerate as he was upon all occasions where human life was concerned,
and unwilling to resort to punishment, he was always anxious to make it
as impressive as possible, whenever it became necessary to inflict it.
He assisted to try one of the mutineers of the _Hermione_, whose crew
had murdered their officers, and carried the ship into a Spanish port.
This man's crime was attended with circumstances of peculiar
aggravation. He was coxswain to Captain Pigott, who, savage tyrant as he
was in general, and richly deserving of the fate he provoked, had
brought him