Lord Collingwood received us very kindly, and asked us several questions as to our proceedings and designs. He set us to do duty as midshipmen on board the _Ocean_, and left Malta for Palermo. We then fell in with the fleet off Minorca, and accompanied it to Toulon, which port we blockaded until the 28th of March, 1809. I frequently had the honour of dining with his lordship, who had the kindness to have me seated near him, and to assist me in carving, as my arm was so weak, and still in a sling. His lordship laughed heartily at my informing him that I had written to the commandant at Lindau agreeably to my promise.
At this time I was overwhelmed with melancholy, and even the joy of my escape seemed to desert me. I had lost five years of my life at its most valuable period, in French prisons, and the thought of bringing up so long an arrear of time in the service was most disheartening. Had I not been captured I should, ere this, if I had lived, have been at least a lieutenant, if not a commander--trusting to opportunities to distinguish myself for further promotion. Now, at my age, I was only a midshipman.
These gloomy thoughts, however, were soon relieved, for Lord Collingwood appointed me the next day, the 29th, to a lieutenancy in a court-martial vacancy in the _Warrior_, Captain J. W. Spranger.
Receiving a lieutenancy--Lord Collingwood’s kindness--Joining the _Warrior_--An unexpected supply of dollars--An accident at sea--Capture of Ischia and Procida--Expedition against the Ionian Isles--Joining the _Amphion_--Captain Hoste’s activity in the Adriatic--Commodore Dubourdieu and his squadron at Ancona--Chasing the enemy--A wild-goose pursuit--Success at last--A glorious battle and a splendid victory--Details of the action of Lissa--My return to England--Interview with the First Lord of the Admiralty--A visit to Ireland--A solicitation from Captain Hoste to join the _Bacchante_ as first lieutenant--Revisiting the Mediterranean--Provoking the enemy--They provoking us--A capture--Unhappy loss of prizes--An inexplicable accident--Extraordinary explosion of a French frigate--A flag of truce--Venice--Corfu--Capture of flotilla.
His lordship presented to me my lieutenancy in the handsomest manner possible. He paid me many compliments, and expressed his regret that this had been the first opportunity he had had of bestowing a commission in his own gift; adding that he cheerfully gave it to me as some reparation for my sufferings, and as a reward of my enterprise and fortitude. His lordship warmly expressed his approbation of my conduct during the time I had been under his immediate command; and rewards as well as praise were doubly valuable from a veteran officer, so highly and so justly celebrated for his nautical skill and consummate valour. His lordship cordially wished me every possible success in the service; and to his order, to repair on board the _Warrior_, he jocosely added, “I suppose your luggage can be easily conveyed to your ship.” To this supposition I as laconically replied that a stocking would be sufficient to contain everything I possessed.