Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/164

 then went with him to the beach, and examined the precise situation of the schuyts. During an hour's promenade in this delightful, though perplexing, situation, an English brig hove in sight. I fear I might incur the imputation of bordering on the romantic, were I to attempt to describe the varied and conflicting sensations, by which I was agitated at again beholding the British flag; nor can I say, what risks I would not have hazarded in order to get afloat, had there been a boat at hand; in in which case, I, of course, should have returned in the night, to carry off my comrades. I left this scene with reluctance, and returned to the "Cat," previously directing Winderkins to go the following day towards Flushing.

On the 16th, he returned, without any satisfactory information; but he was enabled to assure us, that it was utterly impossible to seize the Flushing packet boat, as we had intended, every passenger being strictly examined, and his passport proved, before he was suffered to embark; so that our hopes seemed limited to Blankenberg.