pursue him; but as soon as he perceived that this enemy was unsupported, he shortened sail, and hove to: upon which the Frenchman thought it advisable to give over the pursuit, and sail in quest of his consorts.

At Quebec, Nelson became acquainted with Alexander Davison; by whose interference he was prevented from making what would have been called an imprudent marriage. The Albemarle was about to leave the station, her captain had taken leave of his friends, and was gone down the river to the place of anchorage; when the next morning, as Davison was walking on the beach, to his surprise he saw Nelson coming back in his boat. Upon inquiring the cause of this reappearance, Nelson took his arm, to walk towards the town, and told him he found it utterly impossible to leave Quebec without again seeing the woman whose society had contributed so much to his happiness there, and offering her his hand. "If you do," said his friend, "your utter “ruin must inevitably follow."“ Then let

"it follow," cried Nelson, "for I am resolved to do it."—" And I,” replied Davison, ❝am resolved you shall not." Nelson, however, upon this occasion was less resolute than his friend, and suffered himself to be led back to the boat.

The Albemarle was under orders to convoy a fleet of transports to New-York."A very pretty job," said her captain, “at ❝ this late season of the year," (October was far advanced,)" for our sails are at this mo❝ment frozen to the yards." On his arrival at Sandy Hook, he waited on the commanderin-chief, Admiral Digby, who told him he was come on a fine station for making prizemoney. "Yes, sir," Nelson made answer; "but the West Indies is the station for ho"nour." Lord Hood, with a detachment of Rodney's victorious fleet, was at that time at Sandy Hook: he had been intimate with Capt. Suckling; and Nelson, who was desirous of nothing but honour, requested him to ask for the Albemarle, that he might go to that station where it was most likely to be obtained. Admiral Digby reluctantly

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parted with him. His professional merit was already well known; and Lord Hood, on introducing him to Prince William Henry, as the Duke of Clarence was then called, told the Prince, if he wished to ask any questions respecting naval tactics, Captain Nelson could give him as much information as any officer in the fleet. The duke, who, to his own honour, became from that time the firm friend of Nelson, describes him as appearing the merest boy of a captain he had ever seen, dressed in a full laced uniform, an old fashioned waistcoat with long flaps, and his lank unpowdered hair tied in a stiff Hessian tail of extraordinary length; making, altogether, so remarkable a figure, "that," says the duke, "I had never seen

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any thing like it before, nor could I ima"gine who he was, nor what he came about. "But his address and conversation were "irresistibly pleasing; and when he spoke

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professional subjects, it was with "an enthusiasm that showed he was no common being.

It was expected that the French would

attempt some of the passages between the Bahamas and Lord Hood, thinking of this,

said to Nelson; "I suppose, sir, from the "length of time you were cruising among "the Bahama Keys, you must be a good "pilot there." He replied with that constant readiness to render justice to every man, which was so conspicuous in all his conduct through life, that he was well acquainted with them himself, but that in that respect his second lieutenant was far his superior. The French got into Puerto Cabello on the coast of Venezuela. Nelson was cruising between that port and La Guayra, under French colours, for the purpose of obtaining information; when a king's launch, belonging to the Spaniards, passed near, and being hailed in French, came alongside without suspicion, and answered all questions that were asked concerning the number and force of the enemy's ships. The crew, however, were not a little surprised when they were taken on board, and found themselves prisoners. One of the party went by the name of the Count de Deux

Ponts. He was however a prince of the German empire, and brother to the heir of the electorate of Bavaria: his companions were French officers of distinction, and men of science, who had been collecting specimens in the various branches of natural history. Nelson having entertained them with the best his table could afford, told them they were at liberty to depart with their boat and all that it contained: he only required them to promise that they would consider themselves as prisoners, if the commander-inchief should refuse to acquisce in their being thus liberated :—a circumstance which was not by any means likely to happen. Tidings soon arrived that the preliminaries of peace had been signed; and the Albemarle returned to England, and was paid off. Nelson's first business, after he got to London, even before he went to see his relations, was to attempt to get the wages due to his men, for the various ships in which they had served during the war. "The "disgust of seamen to the navy," he said, "was all owing to the infernal plan of turn