I.

CHAP. and the Lord John Voysie, to take away Ladie Elenor out of the prince's presence, lest her pitie should be cruel towards him, in not suffering his sores to be searched to the quick. And though she cried out, and wrung her hands, 'Madame,' said they, 'be contented: it is better that one woman should weep a little while, than that all the realm of England should lament a great season:' and so they conducted her out of the place." The tradition, however, which, after all, is not disproved by the evidence Fuller has adduced, has given rise to one of the finest specimens of modern sculpture existing in the world': and as it affords, perhaps, the only remaining proof of the surprising Anecdote abilities of an English artist (snatched from the an English pursuit of fame in the very opening of a career which might have classed him with the best sculptors of Antient Greece), the author considers it a patriotic duty to pay some tribute to its

of Deare,

sculptor.

(1) The work of John Deare, who, at a very early period of life, attained to a surprising degree of perfection in sculpture and design. He died a few years ago, at Rome, at the very time when the first proofs of his genius began to obtain the patronage necessary for its fall developement. The particular work alluded to is a bas-relief, executed in the marble of Carrara. It was purchased by Sir Corbet Corbet, an English baronet, and belongs now to his collection. This brief allusion to a young artist, who would have been an honour to his country, is perhaps the only biographical document concerning him likely to be made public.

merit, and, thereby, to the memory of its CHAP.

author.

I.

Egypt.

Our voyage from Acre was as prosperous as Voyage to the former one had been from Egypt. The serenity of the Mediterranean, at this season of the year, is surprisingly contrasted with the tremendous storms which prevail during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. We steered for Egypt with every sail extended; but were impelled by such gentle breezes, that the motion of the frigate was scarcely perceptible. On the twentyfirst of July, at seven o'clock P. M. we were under weigh, and about ten came to anchor off Cape Carmel. The next morning, at four A. M. we made sail again, and continued our progress all that day and the following night, without any occurrence worth notice. On the morning of July the twenty-fourth, at seven A. M. the Island of Cyprus was visible, bearing N. N. w. distant ten or eleven leagues. At five A. M. of the following morning, the same island was still in view, and nearly at the same distance, bearing N. and by E.

1

July the twenty-sixth, at seven P. M. we hailed the Thisbe frigate. This day, being Sunday, we accompanied Captain Culverhouse to the gun

I.

Accident which befel the Romulus.

CHAP. room, to dine there with his officers, according to his weekly custom. As we were beginning our dinner, the voice of a sailor employed in heaving the lead was suddenly heard calling "half four!" The Captain, starting up, reached the deck in an instant; and almost as quickly putting the ship in stays, she went about. Every seaman on board thought she would be stranded; as she came about, all the surface of the water exhibiting a thick black mud; and this extended so widely, that the appearance resembled an island. At the same time, no land was really visible, not even from the mast-head, nor was there any notice of such a shallow in any chart on board. The fact is, as we learned afterwards, that a stratum of mud, extending for many leagues off the mouths of the Nile, exists in a moveable deposit near the coast of Egypt, and, when recently shifted by currents, it sometimes reaches quite to the surface, so as to alarm mariners with sudden shallows, where the charts of the Mediterranean promise a considerable depth of water. These shallows, however, are not in the slightest degree dangerous; vessels no sooner touch them, than they are dispersed; and a frigate may ride secure, where the soundings would induce an inexperienced pilot to believe her nearly aground. In the

I.

evening of this day we made land, and saw the CHAP. eastern fort at the entrance of the Damiata branch of the Nile, bearing N. w. distant seven or eight miles.

July the twenty-seventh, at ten A. M. we were employed in answering signals from the Heroine; and it was very interesting to us landsmen, to observe the facility with which the commanders of frigates, separated from each other by such an immense distance that their vessels were scarcely visible to the naked eye, held a conversation with each other. We had calm weather with light breezes during this and the following day: no land was visible. July the twenty-ninth, observed a strange cutter to leeward, and land bearing s. w. and by s. supposed to be Cape Brule, distant six or seven miles. July the thirtieth, about three P. M. we made land from the mast head, which proved to be Cape Berelos, bearing s. s. w. distant about ten or twelve miles, the town of Rosetta being at the same time w. and by s. half s. distant ten or eleven miles.

July the thirty-first, a calm and a strong current compelled us to anchor east of Rosetta, in five fathoms and a half water. On the

CHAP. following morning, being the first of August, at I. seven A. M. weighed, and made sail. At four Arrival at P. M. saw the fleet off Aboukir, and plainly

Aboukir.

kel receives

convoy a

to Mar

seilles.

observed the Admiral's ship. The same evening, at eight o'clock, we came to anchor nearly in the station held by the Romulus previous to her sailing for the coast of SYRIA. Here we received the joyful intelligence of the surrender of Caïro, reports of which had reached us in SYRIA. Presently after, Captain Clarke came alongside, in the Braakel's barge; when, taking leave of our kind friends, we regained once more a comfortable birth within his cabin.

We had not been here many days, before The Braa- the Braakel received orders from the Admiral, orders to Lord Keith, to convoy the French prisoners Squadron captured at Rachmanie and the different forts upon the Nile, including the garrison of Cairo, to Marseilles; and, at the same time, to take in, with as many of those prisoners as possible, their artillery, arms, baggage, &c. and to sail with all possible expedition. So rapid were the measures adopted by Captain Clarke for this purpose, that he was ready before any of the other vessels appointed to convey the prisoners had obtained their cargo; and, making the signal for sailing to all the convoy, he was ordered to proceed on