The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson | Page 6

fired it was clear that the
frigate still mistook him for one of the enemy, so he wore and stood
towards her, when she proved to be H.M.S. Hussar, acting as convoy to
the West India Fleet. Her commander informed Grant that he had
mistaken the Lady Nelson for a Spaniard, and expressed his regret for
having given so much trouble, and after the usual compliments they
parted. Grant adds that he did not learn the name of the courteous
commander,* (* It was Viscount Garlies.) but again at daylight the
Lady Nelson came on part of his convoy, which, not knowing who she
was, crowded sail to get out of her way, "with," says Grant, "one
exception, this being the ----, which, much to his credit, hove to and
fired a shot almost plump on board of us. Another vessel, the Hope of
Liverpool, I could hardly keep clear of, for the more I attempted to
avoid him the more he attempted to get near me, so much so that we
were near running on board each other." The Hope's captain asked
Grant very peremptorily who he was and where he came from, to which
Grant replied by hoisting his colours and pendant; but even this did not
satisfy the irate merchant skipper, who appeared to have had very
decided intentions of running down the Lady Nelson. Eventually,
however, he rejoined the convoy, which stood to the westward under
close-reefed top-sails.
On the 1st of April the Lady Nelson fell in with another heavy gale
which raged till the 3rd, and finding that his ship was drifting south of
Madeira, Grant shaped a course for Las Palmas.
On the 8th he crossed the Tropic of Cancer.
On Sunday the 13th he came to an anchor in Port Praya, St. Iago, where
the Governor received him with much politeness and gave him

permission to replenish his ship. While in this port Grant discovered
that the second mate had sown seeds of discontent among his crew, so
he promptly handed him over to the Governor to be sent back to
England. Two boys, however, deserted and ran off with a boat. Several
parties were sent out in search of them by the Governor, and the two
deserters were eventually caught and brought home by the
natives--both riding on one ass. The sight of the bluejackets in such a
predicament vastly amused the Portuguese seamen in port, who
ridiculed them to such an extent that Grant did not think it necessary to
punish them further. Grant describes the natives of Port Praya as
resembling negroes, and remarks that the females seemed to spend their
time in spinning cotton from a distaff with a spindle. The ship's keels
were examined here and one found to be broken, but the repairs, owing
to the assistance given by the Governor, were finished in two days.
Having taken in a sufficient supply of water, the Lady Nelson left St.
Iago on April 27th. The Governor, who seems to have been most polite
and obliging to everybody, permitted two Portuguese sailors to be
entered on her muster-roll, which brought her crew up to twelve. Soon
after leaving port, one of the seamen became ill, and as his temperature
rose very high the commander gave orders for him to be immediately
isolated, though he was fortunately cured in four days. The food served
to the men then underwent some alteration. It was thought that oatmeal
was too heating in the humid weather of the tropics, and tea was
substituted for it at breakfast, wine supplemented with spruce beer
being issued instead of spirits. Not one man fell sick afterwards.
As the ship neared the Equator various cross-currents were frequently
met with, and "heavy squalls with rain" and a very disagreeable sea
arose, the result of a sudden change of wind from north-north-east to
south-west and south-south-west. The Lady Nelson pitched and rolled
considerably, and nearly every one on board was sea-sick. On the 6th it
fell calm again.
At 6 A.M. on the 9th a schooner was sighted, and shortly afterward a
brig, which stood towards the ship. Believing that the latter was an
enemy, Grant was glad when a storm hid her from view. On the 10th,

however, a glimpse of the brig was again caught, and on the 13th two
more sail were descried standing to the westward, but they finally
disappeared. The Lady Nelson was now surrounded by flying-fish and
tropical birds in great numbers, the latter being of the species
mentioned by Captain Cook as seen by him when he traversed this
route.
On May 16th a long, heavy swell was experienced with light airs, and
the sea took a luminous appearance. A spell of bad weather followed,
ending on the 23rd, when, the day being