following night? Such, however, was the case, as we afterwards learned from confulting and comparing the journals of French officers made prifoners in and after the action. It appears almost incredible that a fleet confifting of near four hundred fail of various defcriptions, should cross an adverse fleet of fourteen fail of the line, even in the darkest night, without some of them being discovered, yet fo it was. We failed on in expectation that they had got the start of us by several days, and they shaped their course across our track, making a more northern tour by the island of Candia, wrapped in perfect fecurity, and unconscious that any adverse fleet of force fufficient to alarm them was at that moment in those seas.f

We could form no certain opinion whither the enemy had shaped his course up the Adriatic, towards Conftantinople, or to Alexandria; but one of these destinations, we were well affured, must be the object of his enterprize. In our paffage to the coast of Egypt, we saw only three vessels, which we spoke; two of them were from Alexandria, but could give us no account of the French fleet; and one from the Archipelago was equally unable to afford us the wifhéd-for intelligence. On the 28th of June, fix days after we bore up, we came in fight of the city of Alexandria, and, to our great difappointment, saw nothing of the French fleet. Only one Turkish line-of-battle ship, with

* See the chart of the Mediterranean, in which I have given an accurate delineation of the track of the British and French fleets till they met off the Nile on the 1st of August.

fome merchantmen of different nations, were in the two harbours.

When we arrived off the Pharos, or castle which guards the entrance of the eastern harbour, the Admiral dispatched the Mutine towards the port for intelligence. Captain Hardy, after some delay, was permitted to land, and was conducted under a guard to the Governor, who expreffed his surprise at seeing a British squadron, and feemed to feel fome uneasiness at the vifit; but on being informed of the object of our pursuit, his alarm was increased, though he declared his determination to refift the attempt of either power to land. The Admiral now experienced the greatest degree of disappointment at finding the enemy had eluded his pursuit, nor could he at the inftant form any determinate resolution what course he should take, as their deftination was totally enveloped in mystery. His anxious mind would not, however, permit him to reft long in the same station, and he resolved to shape his course back again, taking a northern direction, in hopes of hearing some tidings of the enemy.

On the 29th we ftood to the N. E. with a fresh breeze from N. N. W. The Swiftfure was ordered, by fignal, to chace a strange fail, which fhe came up with in the afternoon, and found her to be a French merchantman of 144 tons burthen, in ballast, bound from Alexandria to Smyrna. After taking out the prisoners, four of whom, including the captain, were Frenchmen, the reft of the crew Greeks and Italians, fhe

was burnt by order of the Admiral, who was unwilling to be delayed by taking her with him. The wind in this part of the Mediterranean during the fummer months generally blows from the westward, confequently we now had to beat back, against a strong breeze, which we did with all the fail we could carry. On the 4th of July we made the coast of Natolia, near Cape Cheledonia; the fame day the Mutine parted company. On the 5th, the Admiral made the fignal to close round him, many of the ships being greatly to leeward; for although the Vanguard had loft her foremaft, which she had fupplied with a jurymast, yet she failed by far the best of the fleet. On the 7th, the Orion having parted company in the night, the fleet wore and stood to the northward, and towards the evening of the fame day she rejoined us. On the 9th, being off the fouthern coaft of the island of Candia, we had a view of Mount Ida, fituated near the centre of the island. The weather had been exceffively hot ever fince we made the coast of Egypt, and now, though we were two degrees to the northward, the thermometer was as high as eighty-four.

On the 10th and 11th we were yet off the south-west fide of Candia, and faw the little ifland of Goza; the wind being still against us we made but flow progress to the weftward, and continued beating to windward till the 16th, when it became more favourable: our latitude obferved this day was 35 45m N. Long. 20d 5 E. of Greenwich. On the 18th, at fix p. m.

m

we defcried Mount Etna, and by eight faw Cape Paffero. On the 19th of July the fleet stood towards Syracufe, and the Admiral determined to enter the bay, being in great want of water, the Vanguard having had no opportunity of taking in a supply of that neceffary article from the beginning of May, when she failed from Gibraltar; feveral other fhips of the fleet were nearly in the same fituation. The entrance of the harbour is very narrow and difficult of access, nor was any person of the fleet acquainted with it; but by the skill and attention of the captains and officers each fhip got safe into the bay and anchored by three p. m. and without delay proceeded to take in water, though at first some difficulties presented themselves from the inconvenient fituation of the watering places; however, by the laborious exertion of the officers and men employed on that service, under the immediate direction of Captain Troubridge, the whole was completed in five days, and an ample supply of fresh beef and vegetables procured; articles of the highest importance to the health of feamen after a long

voyage.

Cape Paffero formerly bore the name of Pachinus, and is thus celebrated by Virgil.

Hinc altas cautes, projectaque faxa Pachyni

Radimus.' EN. iii, 699.

Then doubling Cape Pachynus, we furvey

The rocky fhore extended to the fea.' DRYDEN.

CHAPTER III.

"Sicanio prætenta sinu jacet insula contra

Plemmyrium undosum; nomen dixere priores

"Ortygiam. Alpheum fama est huc Elidis amnem

"Occultas egisse vias subter mare: qui nunc

"Ore, Arethusa, tuo siculis confunditur undis." EN. iii. 692.

WHILE the fhips were taking in water and live ftock I took the opportunity of viewing the curiofities of Syracuse and its environs. But before I begin my account of what I faw on shore, I must say a few words of the Bay of Syracuse, in which the British fleet was anchored.

The form of this excellent harbour is nearly circular; the entrance, as I before obferved, is very narrow, that without a tolerably fair wind it would be dangerous, if not impossible, for a large ship to beat in or out. But when once entered, it is fo fpacious that it would contain with ease an immense fleet; and, by being completely land-locked, ships may rest in perfect security during the heaviest gale, from whatever quarter it might blow.

Two small rivers disembogue themselves into this bay; that to which the boats of the Swiftfure proceeded on our arrival