the entire detachment from that corps. On the night of the 20th the three frigates, accompanied by the cutter and mortar-boat, and most of the boats of the squadron, stood close in, to land the men, and try to gain possession of a fort at the north-east side of the bay, and within gun-shot of the town ; whence a summons was to be sent to the governor. But a strong gale of wind in the offing, and a strong current against them near the shore, prevented the boats from reaching the intended point of debarkation. On the 22d, at about 3 h. 30 m. a.m., the three line-of-battle ships bore up for Santa-Cruz, and, soon after daylight, were joined by the frigates and small-craft ; whose unavoidable appearance off the coast had given to the islanders the very warning it was so desirous they should not have.

A consultation of the principal officers now decided that an attack should be made on the heights immediately over the fort already mentioned, and that, from that commanding position, the British seamen and marines should storm and endeavour to carry the fort itself. At 9 p.m. the frigates anchored in shore, off the east end of the town, and landed their men ; but the latter, finding. the heights too strongly guarded to be attempted, re-embarked in the course of the night, without loss. The three line-of-battle ships, meanwhile, had kept under way, to batter the fort, by way of causing a diversion, but, owing to calms and contrary currents, were unable to approach nearer than three miles.

Not being one to abandon an enterprise until after a stout struggle to accomplish it, Nelson resolved yet to bring his band of hardy fellows in contact with the Santa-Cruz garrison. On the 24th the Leander, Captain Thompson, who had only arrived at Cadiz from Lisbon on the 18th, joined the squadron. The local experience of her captain, and the accession of force in her marines, gave additional hopes to the rear-admiral, and those engaged with him in the perilous, and, at present, not very auspicious undertaking.

At 5 p.m., every thing being in readiness, the squadron anchored to the north-eastward of the town ; the line-of-battle ships within six or eight miles, the frigates within two, as if intending to disembark their men in that direction. But this was only a feint ; the mole head was to be the rendezvous of the boats. At 11 p.m. about 700 seamen and marines embarked in the boats of the squadron, 180 more on board the Fox cutter, and about 75 on board a large provision-boat that had just been captured ; numbering, with a small detachment of royal artillery, about 1100 men. The different detachments of seamen, under the immediate command of their respective captains, the marines under Captain Oldfield, the artillery under Lieutenant Baynes, and the whole force, commanded by the rear-admiral in person, pushed off from the squadron. Every precaution had been taken to keep the boats together, in order that the attack might

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