104
LETTERS.
[1784.
TO PHILIP STEPHENS, ESQ., ADMIRALTY.
[Autograph,in the Admiralty.]
Boreas, Spithead, April 18th, 1784.
Sir,
I have the honour to acquaint you, that his Majesty’s Ship under my command, arrived at this place yesterday, and en-closed is her State and Condition. Your answer to my lastletter of the 14th, I received yesterday evening. I havetherefore to suppose that my first of that day did not come tohand.
I am Sir, &c.
to william locker, esq.
[Autograph, in the Locker papers.]
Portsmouth, April 21st, 1784.
My dear Sir,
Since I parted from you, 1 have encountered many dis-agreeable adventures. The day after I left you, we sailed at
daylight, just after high water. The d-d Pilot—it makes
me swear to think of it—ran the Ship aground, where shelay with so little water that the people could walk round hertill next high water. That night and part of the next day,we lay below the Nore with a hard gale of wind and snow;Tuesday 1 got into the Downs: on Wednesday I got into aquarrel with a Dutch Indiaman who had Englishmen on board,which we settled, after some difficulty. The Dutchman hasmade a complaint against me; but the Admirality fortu-nately have approved my conduct in the business, a thing theyare not very guilty of where there is a likelihood of a scrape.And yesterday, to complete me, I was riding a blackguardhorse that ran away with me at Common, carried me roundall the Works into Portsmouth, by the London gates, throughthe Town out at the gate that leads to Common, where therewas a waggon in the road,—which is so very narrow, that ahorse could barely pass. To save my legs, and perhaps mylife, I was obliged to throw' myself from the horse, which I