esteemed and most worthy friend Captain Beaufort, who had run over to Gibraltar in his gig to satisfy the curiosity he had to see Ceuta. Lieutenant Robertson, also, (Aid-du-camp of Major-General Fraser,) of the 9th regiment, came over from Gibraltar with the order from the Junta to the Governor, to admit the British force that was to be sent over by the Commander-in-chief at Gibraltar. I accompanied Lieut. Robertson to the Governor, and though there was no withstanding this positive order, yet I was sorry to observe that there seemed to be still remaining some symptoms in the minds of a few of the narrow-minded part of the Junta, of a want of confidence in the honour of the English; for the Governor himself told me, that some of them had even gone so far as to say that, "if the English troops were once admitted within the walls of the fortress, it would be no easy matter to get them out of it again." In the course of the day, however, every thing was settled about admitting them, and Lieut. Robertson returned with Captain Beaufort, carrying with him a letter from the Junta to General Campbell to that effect. I was afraid that the few illiberal-minded men of the Junta would at any rate endeavour to prevent the grant of the citadel to quarter the troops in, which it would be most desirable to obtain, not only on account of its healthy, but commanding, situation; and because they would be entirely apart from the Spaniards. Nothing, however, I soon saw, would

be decided on till the troops came over; and, on the next morning, at 8 A. M., I ran over to Gibraltar to bring Major-General Fraser and the transports. Whilst getting under weigh, I observed a felucca coming into the bay of Ceuta with some personage of superior rank on board, by the number of flags and streamers they had displayed. Just as I was about to anchor in Gibraltar Bay, Captain Beaufort sent me word that he had General Fraser and suite on board the Blossom. I therefore wore, and after taking them on board the Nereus, stood over to Ceuta, the transports, with the troops (4th regiment) following, and anchored in the little bay

about sunset.'

6

March 23. The next morning I accompanied the General to wait on the new Governor, the Marquis d'Alost, who arrived yesterday from Cadiz, just as we were getting under weigh; and finding that the necessary ceremonies were about to take place, I sent off word to have salutes ready to be fired; and established a particular signal for the purpose. The people seemed all highly gratified at my having selected so solemn a moment to do honour to their Governor, and still more so at his return to the house, when at the moment of his entering the door the ship fired another salute to the garrison by signal, and it was afterwards returned with an equal number. These little attentions-all I could shew -seemed to be very well received.

'Before we went to church with the new Gover

nor, as nothing had been decided on about accommodating the troops, the Major-General made some inquiries about the matter, and, to his no small surprise and regret, was shewn some buildings in the suburbs, which had been, and were still, in part occupied by convicts. They were, besides, in a very bad state of repair, and having only paved floors, looked more like stables than the comfortable quarters British soldiers were used to, and would expect. However, there was nothing to be done here by remonstrance and grumbling. Though the Junta had determined that our troops should not, when landed, occupy the citadel on the height, and there seemed to be little chance of getting any other quarters for them than the convicts' barracks, and though General Fraser, therefore, had almost decided on not disembarking the troops till another day, in hopes of getting better, he at last consented to let me land them, in the hope that in the present state of the public mind, which was very favourable, the fine appearance of such a regiment as the 4th King's Own, would of itself almost procure them good quarters. We got them every man ashore in one hour at two o'clock; and somehow or other, by the ability of the General and Mr. Viane, of Gibraltar, who accompanied him as interpreter, together with such little aid as I had to give, matters were so managed that at three o'clock every desirable point was carried, even with suspicious members of the Junta, and Colonel Bevan had marched his men,

with the full concurrence of every soul in the place, up to the citadel, where the quarters are excellent, and if things are but henceforth carried on as they of course will be, that citadel will never be occupied by any but British troops. I am confident that in the good humour we had the Spaniards in before the end of the day, there might have been landed, had it been wished, 3000 or 4000 men, as easily as the 4th regiment; and now that the ice is fairly broken, there will be little difficulty in introducing, with the most hearty consent of the Junta and the approbation of all the people of Ceuta, any farther number of troops that may be considered necessary for the defence of this most valuable fortress. the Peninsula falls under the Buonaparte sway, its importance to Great Britain will be incalculable, for a thousand reasons connected with our policy and commerce, as well as the many local advantages it has, which it would be very unnecessary to mention. It will enable us to break the line of the gigantic Napoleon power, at least as far as his extent of sea-coast goes; and the strength of Great Britain will be greatly increased by thus resting on the pillars of Hercules.'

If

A description of the bay of Ceuta follows, and of its navigation, which it is deemed unnecessary to insert.

On the 29th of March, Captain Heywood, at the desire of Admiral Purvis, sailed from Gibraltar with

the remains of his late excellent and respected commander, Lord Collingwood, on board.

On the 19th of April he passed through the Downs with the flag of Lord Collingwood half staff, and whilst passing the English squadron, the flags of Vice-Admiral Campbell and Rear-Admiral Sir R. Strachan were lowered half-mast, as well as the pendants of the private ships.'

The remains of Lord Collingwood were conveyed from the Nore up to Greenwich in the yacht of the Lords Commissioners.

In June, 1810, the Nereus having been completely repaired in the Dock-yard at Chatham, Captain Heywood endeavoured to make interest at the Admiralty to be sent out again to the Mediterranean. But in this he was disappointed. By order of the Admiralty he sailed from Spithead on the 30th of August, with a convoy of fourteen sail of merchants' vessels for the coast of Brazil; and on the 30th of October, the Nereus anchored in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, and he placed himself under the orders of Vice-Admiral De Courcy.

In the Rio de la Plata, Captain Heywood was employed on various confidential services, where his zeal, ability, and integrity, proved of great benefit to British commerce.

Soon after his arrival he was ordered by the ViceAdmiral to cruize between the Plata and the Cape of Good Hope, in order to warn home-bound vessels from the East Indies of danger from the French