Page:Memoirs of the life and gallant services of Admiral Lord Nelson.pdf/8

 8 The Life and gallant Services The ſquadron bore up for Sardinia, the Alexander taking the Vanguard in tow, and the Orian looking out a head to endeavour to get a pilot, for the pur- poſe of gaining St. Pierre's road. On the 24th, with very great difficulty, we reached that anchor- age; on the fourth day from our anchoring, we had received ſuch a repair that he did not think it neceſſary to fail to Naples or any other port. The ſquadron reached the rendezvous on the 4th of June and on the following day was joined by La Mutine, Captain Hardy, who was charged with orders to the Admiral, and who brought the high- ly acceptable intelligence that Captain Trowbridge had been detached with ten fail of the line, and a fifty-gun ſhip, to reinforce us: June 6. The ſquad- as ſpread, anxiouſly looking out for the ex- pected reinforcement. By a veſſel ſpoke with on that day, we were informed that ſeveral fail then is fight were Spaniſh ſhips richly laden; but prize- money was not the object of the admiral. The Alexander, being on the look out, ſtopped one of thoſe ſhips; finding ſhe had on board eighty or nine- ty prieſts, driven by the French perſecutions and cruelties from Rome, he thought it would be an act of humanity to permit the ſhip to purſue her, voyage; and he accordingly releaſed her, and re- joined the admiral. On the 8th at noon, we had the happineſs to diſcover from the maſt head ten fail, and it was not long before we recogniſed them to be Britiſh ſhips of war, ſtanding upon a cloſe line of battle, with all fails ſet. Private fignals were exchanged, and be fore ſun-ſet the ſo-much-wiſhed-for junction was formed, an event which was certainly facilitated by the great profeſſional ability, judgement, and zeal of Captain Trowbridge. The Admiral had receive- ed no inſtruction what courſe he was now to freer, and no certain information reſpecting the deſtination of