terms he would not, adding, 'I am consulted by persons residing both far and near, and I make a good living of it. You cannot, therefore, expect I should tell you how to take the bread out of my mouth.'

"Certainly not,' replied the President of the Royal Society; but for a sum of money you would not object.'

"Well,' our Gloucester friend replied, 'perhaps not.'

"Sir Joseph, fretting under the delay, at once said, 'Will one hundred pounds satisfy you ?'

“‘I think, it would,' said the prophet, and the money was instantly put down.

'Now,' said the weather-wise Gloucestershire man, beckoning Banks to accompany him; and having scrambled up to the top of a high moor, tenanted by sheep only, he said to the President of the Royal Society, 'Do you see that black ram yonder?'

'Yes,' Banks replied.

Well, then, whenever he turns his tail towards the South-west point of the compass, you may make sure rain is at hand!'

CHAPTER V.

I request to be employed on actual service-Press General Fox to take me to Sicily with him-Edward Ellers, of the Navy-Sharp repartee, and loss of the Arrow-Take leave of Ellers-Kick up a row with the dogs-All's well-Kilvington-Alarm the fleetGeneral Fox and family sail away to Messina.

ALTHOUGH I Occupied a comfortable house, had an agreeable circle of acquaintance, and abundance of amusements, yet my anxiety to be employed on actual service was in no degree abated; and I had resolved on persevering in pressing my services to be engaged on any opportunity that might present itself.

The accounts of movements of troops at home, towards the sea-coast, preparatory to

their embarcation on expeditionary service, which filled the daily newspapers; the accounts of our troops and armies in the field, invariably wounded my feelings, and seemed to reproach me for submitting to such a state of inactivity; and I constantly felt as if it were my own fault that I still remained on garrison duty.

This ambition being constantly uppermost, and having occasion to address a letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Rowley, at this time either Major-of-Brigade or Deputy-Inspector-General of Fortifications, on the 7th of March, 1806, I concluded that letter with the following expression of my views. I look forward with great confidence to your not allowing any opportunity to escape for employing me on field service, and that you will respectfully remind the General (Morse) of my application to that effect in September last." But to this letter I never received any reply.

On the 30th of May, Brigadier-General the Honourable Robert Meade, under whom I had served at Gosport, arrived in the bay from England, with the 21st, 27th; 31st, and 35th

Regiments, on their way to Sicily, which gave rise to various rumours as to the object of this additional force; and amongst others, it was said to be destined to proceed to Egypt. This event gave a fresh stimulus to my desire to be so employed; and as shortly afterwards it was currently asserted that General Fox was to proceed to Sicily and assume the chief command of the expedition, I thought this a most favourable opportunity for renewing my efforts to be employed on active service.

I therefore, on the 16th of June, addressed a very pressing letter to his Excellency, soliciting to have the honour of being employed in the army destined to proceed under his command.

On the second day I received a very kind note from the General, written by himself, and expressing his regret at being unable to comply with my request in consequence of his having so repeatedly and so pressingly urged the necessity of employing two Captains of Engineers at Gibraltar; he, therefore, could not now immediately, after this recommendation had been complied with, disturb that arrangement by taking me away.

I was very deeply mortified at this failure; for, independently of my desire to be attached to any of our armies serving in the field, I had contracted a very sincere personal regard and attachment for the General and his amiable family.

Just at this period, early in the month of May, my old friend, Lieutenant Edward Ellers, of the Royal Navy, arrived at Gibraltar, in the Orion, Captain Codrington; and at the departure of that ship to join the fleet blockading the harbour of Cadiz, on the 18th of the same month, 1806; Ellers, at that time being in bad health, was invalided, as it is termed in the navy, and sent on shore to the navy hospital. In consequence of this event, Ellers passed much of his time with me; and on one occasion, having some days before accidentally heard of the brilliant action fought by Captain Vincent, commanding the Arrow, in which ship Ellers was at the time serving as second Lieutenant, but which he had not even hinted at, I requested him to relate to me the details of that desperate exploit. Ellers complied, and related the action then

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