the life of horatio lord nelson-第20部分

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imself　without　provisions；　the　powder　wet；　and　no　　possibility　of　obtaining　either　stores　or　reinforcements　from　the　ships；　the　boats　being　lost；　Troubridge　with　great　presence　of　mind；　sent　Captain　Samuel　Hood　with　a　flag　of　truce　to　the　governor　to　say　he　was　prepared　to　burn　the　town；　and　would　instantly　set　fire　to　it　if　the　Spaniards　approached　one　inch　nearer。　This；　however；　if　he　were　compelled　to　do　it；　he　should　do　with　regret；　for　he　had　no　wish　to　injure　the　inhabitants；and　he　was　ready　to　treat　upon　these　termsthat　the　British　troops　should　re…　embark；　with　all　their　arms　of　every　kind；　and　take　their　own　boats；　if　they　were　saved；　or　be　provided　with　such　others　as　might　be　wanting；　they；　on　their　part；　engaging　that　the　squadron　should　not　molest　the　town；　or　any　of　the　Canary　Islands：　all　prisoners　on　both　sides　to　be　given　up。　When　these　terms　were　proposed　the　governor　made　answer；　that　the　English　ought　to　surrender　as　prisoners　of　war；　but　Captain　Hood　replied；　he　was　instructed　to　say；　that　if　the　terms　were　not　accepted　in　five　minutes；　Captain　Troubridge　would　set　the　town　on　fire　and　attack　the　Spaniards　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet。　Satisfied　with　his　success；　which　was　indeed　sufficiently　complete；　and　respecting；　like　a　brave　and　honourable　man；　the　gallantry　of　his　enemy；　the　Spaniard　acceded　to　the　proposal；　found　boats　to　re…embark　them；　their　own　having　all　been　dashed　to　pieces　in　landing；　and　before　they　parted　gave　every　man　a　loaf　and　a　pint　of　wine。

〃And　here；〃　says　Nelson　in　his　journal；　〃it　is　right　we　should　notice　the　noble　and　generous　conduct　of　Don　Juan　Antonio　Gutierrez；　the　Spanish　governor。　The　moment　the　terms　were　agreed　to；　he　directed　our　wounded　men　to　be　received　into　the　hospitals；　and　all　our　people　to　be　supplied　with　the　best　provisions　that　could　be　procured；　and　made　it　known　that　the　ships　were　at　liberty　to　send　on　shore　and　purchase　whatever　refreshments　they　were　in　want　of　during　the　time　they　might　be　off　the　island。〃　A　youth；　by　name　Don　Bernardo　Collagon；　stripped　himself　of　his　shirt　to　make　bandages　for　one　of　those　Englishmen　against　whom；　not　an　hour　before；　he　had　been　engaged　in　battle。　Nelson　wrote　to　thank　the　governor　for　the　humanity　which　he　had　displayed。　Presents　were　interchanged　between　them。　Sir　Horatio　offered　to　take　charge　of　his　despatches　for　the　Spanish　Government；　and　thus　actually　became　the　first　messenger　to　Spain　of　his　own　defeat。

The　total　loss　of　the　English　in　killed；　wounded；　and　drowned；　amounted　to　250。　Nelson　made　no　mention　of　his　own　wound　in　his　official　despatches；　but　in　a　private　letter　to　Lord　St。　Vincentthe　first　which　he　wrote　with　his　left　handhe　shows　himself　to　have　been　deeply　affected　by　the　failure　of　this　enterprise。　〃I　am　become；〃　he　said；　〃a　burthen　to　my　friends；　and　useless　to　my　country；　but　by　my　last　letter　you　will　perceive　my　anxiety　for　the　promotion　of　my　　son…in…law；　Josiah　Nisbet。　When　I　leave　your　command　I　become　dead　to　the　world〃I　go　hence；　and　am　no　more　seen。〃　If　from　poor　Bowen's　loss；　you　think　it　proper　to　oblige　me；　I　rest　confident　you　will　do　it。　The　boy　is　under　obligations　to　me；　but　he　repaid　me　by　bringing　me　from　the　mole　of　Santa　Cruz。　I　hope　you　will　be　able　to　give　me　a　frigate　to　convey　the　remains　of　my　carcass　to　England。〃　　〃A　left…handed　admiral；〃　he　said　in　a　subsequent　letter；　〃will　never　again　be　considered　as　useful；　therefore　the　sooner　I　get　to　a　very　humble　cottage　the　better；　and　make　room　for　a　sounder　man　to　serve　the　state。〃　His　first　letter　to　Lady　Nelson　was　written　under　the　same　opinion；　but　in　a　more　cheerful　strain。　〃It　was　the　chance　of　war；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　have　great　reason　to　be　thankful：　and　I　know　it　will　add　much　to　your　pleasure　to　find　that　Josiah；　under　God's　providence；　was　principally　instrumental　in　saving　my　life。　I　shall　not　be　surprised　if　I　am　neglected　and　forgotten：　probably　I　shall　no　longer　be　considered　as　useful；　however；　I　shall　feel　rich　if　I　continue　to　enjoy　your　affection。　I　beg　neither　you　nor　my　father　will　think　much　of　this　mishap；　my　mind　has　long　been　made　up　to　such　an　event。〃

His　son…in…law；　according　to　his　wish；　was　immediately　promoted；　and　honours　enough　to　heal　his　wounded　spirit　awaited　him　in　　England。　Letters　were　addressed　to　him　by　the　first　lord　of　the　Admiralty；　and　by　his　steady　friend　the　Duke　of　Clarence；　to　congratulate　him　on　his　return；　covered　as　he　was　with　glory。　He　assured　the　Duke；　in　his　reply；　that　not　a　scrap　of　that　ardour　with　which　he　had　hitherto　served　his　king　had　been　shot　away。　The　freedom　of　the　cities　of　Bristol　and　London　were　transmitted　to　him；　he　was　invested　with　the　Order　of　the　Bath；　and　received　a　pension　of　L1000　a…year。　The　memorial　which；　as　a　matter　of　form；　he　was　called　upon　to　present　on　this　occasion；　exhibited　an　extraordinary　catalogue　of　services　performed　during　the　war。　It　stated　that　he　had　been　in　four　actions　with　the　fleets　of　the　enemy；　and　in　three　actions　with　boats　employed　in　cutting　out　of　harbour；　in　destroying　vessels；　and　in　taking　three　towns。　He　had　served　on　shore　with　the　army　four　months；　and　commanded　the　batteries　at　the　sieges　of　Basti　and　Calvi：　he　had　assisted　at　the　capture　of　seven　sail　of　the　line；　six　frigates；　four　corvettes；　and　eleven　privateers：　taken　and　destroyed　near　fifty　sail　of　merchant　vessels；　and　actually　been　engaged　against　the　enemy　upwards　of　a　hundred　and　twenty　times；　in　which　service　he　had　lost　his　right　eye　and　right　arm；　and　been　severely　wounded　and　bruised　in　his　body。

His　sufferings　from　the　lost　limb　were　long　and　painful。　A　nerve　had　been　taken　up　in　one　of　the　ligatures　at　the　time　of　the　operation；　and　the　ligature；　according　to　the　practice　of　the　French　surgeons；　was　of　silk　instead　of　waxed　thread；　this　produced　a　constant　irritation　and　discharge；　and　the　ends　of　the　ligature　being　pulled　every　day；　in　hopes　of　bringing　it　away；　occasioned　fresh　agony。　He　had　scarcely　any　intermission　of　pain；　day　or　night；　for　three　months　after　his　return　to　England。　Lady　Nelson；　at　his　earnest　request；　attended　the　dressing　of　his　arm；　till　she　had　acquired　sufficient　resolution　and　skill　to　dress　it　herself。　One　night；　during　this　state　of　suffering；　after　a　day　of　constant　pain；　Nelson　retired　early　to　bed；　in　hope　of　enloymg　some　respite　by　means　of　laudanum。　He　was　at　that　time　lodging　in　Bond　Street；　and　the　family　were　soon　disturbed　by　a　mob　knocking　loudly　and　violently　at　the　door。　The　news　of　Duncan's　victory　had　been　made　public；　and　the　house　was　not　illuminated。　But　when　the　mob　were　told　that　Admiral　Nelson　lay　there　in　bed；　badly　wounded；　the　foremost　of　them　made　answer：　〃You　shall　hear　no　more　from　us　to…night：〃　and　in　fact；　the　feeling　of　respect　and　sympathy　was　communicated　from　one　to　another　with　such　effect　that；　under　the　confusion　of　such　a　night；　the　house　was　not　molested　again。

About　the　end　of　November；　after　a　night　of　sound　sleep；　he　found　the　arm　nearly　free　from　pain。　The　surgeon　was　immediately　sent　for　to　examine　it；　and　the　ligature　came　away　with　the　slightest　touch。　From　that　time　it　began　to　heal。　As　soon　as　he　thought　his　health　established；　he　sent　the　following　form　of　thanksgiving　to　the　minister　of　St。　George's；　Hanover　Square：〃An　officer　desires　to　return　thanks　to　Almighty　God　for　his　perfect　recovery　from　a　severe　wound；　and　also　for　the　many　mercies　bestowed　on　him。〃

Not　having　been　in　England　till　now；　since　he　lost　his　eye；　he　went　to　receive　a　year's　pay　as　smart　money；　but　could　not　obtain　payment；　because　he　had　neglected　to　bring　a　certificate　from　a　surgeon　that　the　sight　was　actually　destroyed。　A　little　irritated　that　this　form　should　be　insisted　upon；　because；　though　the　fact　was　not　apparent；　he　thought　it　was　sufficiently　notorious；　he　procured　a　certificate　at　the　same　time　for　the　loss　of　his　arm；　saying；　they　might　just　as　well　doubt　one　as　the　other。　This　put　him　in　good　humour　with　himself；　and　with　the　clerk　who　had　offended　him。　On　his　return　to　the　office；　the　clerk；　finding　it　was　only　the　annual　pay　of　a　captain；　observed；　he　thought　it　had　been　more。　〃Oh！〃　replied　Nelson；〃this　is　only　for　an　eye。　In　a　few　days　I　shall　come　for　an　arm；　and　in　a　little　time　longer；　God　knows；　most　probably　for　a　leg。〃　Accordingly　he　soon　afterwards　went；　and　with　perfect　good　humour　exhibited　the　certificate　of　the　loss　of　his　arm。




CHAPTER　V

1798

Nelson　rejoins　Earl　St。　Vincent　in　the　VANGUARDSails　in　Pursuit　of　the　French　in　EgyptReturns　to　Sicily；　and　sails　again　to　Egypt　Battle　of　the　Nile。

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EARLY　in　the　year　1798；　Sir　Horatio　Nelson　hoisted　his　flag　in　the　VANGUARD；　and　was　ordered　to　rejoin　Earl　St。　Vincent。　Upon　his　departure；　his　father　addressed　him　with　that　affectionate　solemnity　by　which　all　his　letters　were　distinguished。　〃I　trust　in　the　Lord；〃　said　he；　〃that　He　will　prosper　your　going　out　and　your　coming　in。　I　earnestly　desired　once　more　to　see　you；　and　that　wish　has　been　heard。　If　I　should　presume　to　say；　I　hope　to　see　you　again；　the　question　would　be　readily　asked；　How　old　art　thou？　VALE！　VALE！　DOMINE；　VALE！〃　It　is　said　that　a　gloomy　foreboding　hung　on　the　spirits　of　Lady　Nelson　at　their　parting。　This　could　have　arisen　only　from　the　dread　of　losing　him　by　the　chance　of　war。　Any　apprehension　of　losing　his　affections　could　hardly　have　existed；　for　all　his　correspondence　to　this　time　shows　that　he　thought　himself　happy　in　his　marriage；　and　his　private　character　had　hitherto　been　as　spotless　as　his　public　conduct。　One　of　the　last　things　he　said　to　her　was；　that　his　own　ambition　was　satisfied；　but　that　he　went　to　raise　her　to　that　rank　in　which　he　had　long　wished　to　see　her。

Immediately　on　his　rejoining　the　fleet；　he　was　despatched　to　the　Mediterranean　with　a　small　squadron；　in　order　to　ascertain；　if　possible；　the　object　of　the　great　expedition　which　at　that　time　was　fitting　out　under　Buonaparte　at　Toulon。　The　defeat　of　this　armament；　whatever　might　be　its　destination；　was　deemed　by　the　British　government　an　object　paramount　to　every　other；　and　Earl　St。　Vincent　was　directed；　if　he　thought　it　necessary；　to　take　his　whole　force　into　the　Mediterranean；　to　relinquish；　for　that　purpose；　the　blockade　of　the　Spanish　fleet；　as　a　thing　of　infer