646
POST-CAPTAINS OF 1802.
wind, but it blowing hard from the eastward, with a strong lee current, we could but just fetch to the westward of the above Cape. The wind and current continuing, we could not, till the evening of the 11th, get as far to windward as Cape Sepet: finding, a little before ten o’clock, that the ship would be able to fetch into Toulon, I did not like to wait till morning, having so many men on board, and considering it my indispensable duty to get in as fast as possible. At ten I ordered the hands to be turned up to bring the ship to anchor, being then abreast of Cape Sepet, entering the outer harbour. Not having a pilot on board, or any person acquainted with the port, I placed two Midshipmen to look out with night glasses for the fleet; but not discovering any ships until we got near the entrance of the inner harbour, I supposed they had moved up there in the eastern gale; at the same time seeing one vessel, with several other lights, which I imagined to be the fleet’s, I entered the inner harbour under the top-sails only; but finding I could not weather a brig, which lay a little way above the point called the Grand Tour, I ordered the fore-sail and driver to be set, to be ready to tack when we were the other side of her. Soon after the brig hailed us, but I could not make out in what language: I supposed they wanted to know what ship it was, and told them it was an English frigate called the Juno. They answered Viva; and after asking in English and French for some time, what brig she was, and where the British Admiral lay, they appeared not to understand me, but called out, as we passed under their stern, Luff! Luff! several times; which made me suppose there was shoal water near: the helm was instantly put a-lee, but we found the ship was on shore before she got head to wind. There being very little wind, and perfectly smooth water, I ordered the sails to be clewed up and handed: at this time a boat went from the brig towards the town. Before the people were all off the yards, we found the ship went a-stern very fast by a flaw of wind that came down the harbour: we hoisted the driver and mizen-stay-sail, keeping the sheets to windward to give her stern way as long as possible, that she might get further from the shoal. The instant she lost her way we let go the best bower anchor, when she tended head to wind; but the after part of the keel was aground, and we could not move the rudder. I ordered the launch and cutler to be hoisted out, and put the kedge anchor with two hawsers in them, to warp the ship farther off. By the time the boats were out, a boat came alongside, after having been hailed, and we thought answered as if an officer had been in her: the people were all anxious to get out of her, and two of them appeared to be officers; one of them said he came to inform me it was the regulation of the port, and the commanding officer’s orders, that I must go into another branch of the harbour to perform ten days’ quarantine. I kept asking him where Lord Hood’s ship lay; but from his not giving me any satisfactory answer, and one of the Midshipmen having said, “they were national cockades,” I looked at one of their hats more stedfastly, and, by the moonlight, clearly distinguished the three colours. Perceiving they were sus-
