pacity, his last fever having been so severe that he had been
bled and blistered several times; but he was now some-
what better, though weak.
Our passport for Trieste was, during this time, making
out, and in half an hour we were to return for it. In the
meantime we went back to the tavern to make the
necessary preparations, and get some breakfast. It was a
luxurious meal. The moment we entered, the landlord
presented us with an answer to Mr. Hewson's letter, from
his friend at Vienna. It informed us of the success that
had attended our application at that city, with respect to
our passports, and contained an order on his banker at
Salzburg, to supply us with what money we might deem
necessary to defray our expenses to Trieste, and enable us
to travel with ease and comfort. Providence appeared too
bountiful. We waited on the banker, got the sum neces-
sary, and called on the worthy Director to give him the
intelligence. He appeared much pleased, congratulated
us on our success, and ordered our passports to be made
out to go by the diligence. This proved very fortunate
for our sick companion.
The hour of departure arrived ; and now behold us in
the diligence, free from all terrors, and elated to the
highest pitch at the consciousness that we were on the
road to the margin of the sea, where we should once more
behold " The meteor flag of England," and have it again
waving over our heads.
Our journey was interesting. The first night we had
JOURNEY TO CLAGENFURT 271
to pass through intricate roads amidst immense mountains
covered with snow. The appearance of the inhabitants
was in unison with the scenery. They were grotesque in
dress, and seemed wild. The guard of the diligence was
inclined to be insolent, and evidently abetted the inn-
keepers in their " tricks upon travellers " tricks of extor-
tion. However, at the fourth stage we got rid of this
bad specimen of Nature's workmanship, for we were re-
moved from the diligence, and put into a waggon, which
took us to Villach, and thence to Clagenfurt. The waggon
was without springs, and, over the rough mountainous
roads, we were jolted almost to death. Our sick friend
must have suffered dreadfully ; but he bore his pains with
his usual fortitude and self-command.
In the waggon we were eight in number; our com-
panions were boys who were returning to the university
after the vacation. They annoyed us much with their
colloquial or dog Latin ; and the young rogues made us
the subject of their jokes and satire, on the supposition
that we could not understand them.
At Clagenfurt we found that we had missed our road
to Trieste by several leagues, owing to those who had
inspected our passports at Villach not having given us the
necessary information. At first we were informed that we
must go back to that town to have the error rectified;
but, upon explaining the difficulties and hardships that
attended retracing our steps, the authorities very kindly
did away with every difficulty, and we retired to the
Golden Sun tavern, where we had supper and beds.
We were here apprised that we had better perform the
next day's journey on foot, as the mountains were so
excessively high that if we had a carriage we should be
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
obliged to walk the greater part of the way. This in-
formation made us determine to proceed on foot the next
morning ; and we accordingly rose at daybreak (Sunday,
30th October), and commenced our journey. Such
mountains as we passed this day I never before beheld.
We walked twelve leagues before seven in the afternoon,
six of them almost ascending perpendicularly, and the
remaining six descending in the opposite direction the
great road was zig-zag, but we did not keep to it. We at
last arrived at a small post-town, at the foot of a prodigious
precipice. After getting some refreshments, we took post
for Laibach, and travelled all night. At daybreak we
entered the town, and immediately proceeded to a tavern
where we got beds, and retired for a few hours to rest.
Our passport was taken to the Director of Police to be
inspected. At about nine he sent for us, asked us a few
questions, and returned our passport properly endorsed
and certified.
On the 31st of October, at ten, we took post for
Trieste, and arrived on the 4th of November, at about
eight o^clock, after a most tedious, harassing, and vexatious
journey. The reader who traces the distance on the map
or the itincraire, and calculates the time of our going over
the ground, will understand the vast difference, even at
that time, between English travelling, and travelling on
the Continent.
On the night after quitting Laibach we had a very high
and precipitous mountain to ascend ; and our horses being
of the most sorry breed of cattle, I dismounted, and took a
short cut up the mountain. At eleven at night I saw an
immense bonfire at a distance from the road I was on. A
number of people were collected round it. Not a house
AN IRISH WATCH-FIRE 273
was in view ; the carriage was at least four miles below me ;
and as the road was a perfect zig-zag, the wild character
of the mountain scenery made me hesitate to approach
the spot. At last I got so near that I was discovered, and
two men ran towards me. I had no right to expect
courtesy, or decency, or even safety, in such a wilderness,
and the fellows rudely asked me in German who and what
I was. In broken German I told them that I did not under-
stand what they said, and I asked if they spoke French.
They answered " No." The whole scene was so awfully
wild that it was worthy of the pencil of Salvator Rosa ;
and even his pencil could not have done justice to it. "Do
you speak Italian ? " said I, and a fierce " No " was my only
satisfaction. At last I ejaculated, "Do you speak
English ? " and, to my utter astonishment, both vociferated
the English " Yes," with the addition " perfectly well." I
was thunderstruck at the reply; for who would have
expected to find the English language on a bleak and
barren mountain in this part of the world ? I found that
one of the men was a native Irishman, and that the other
was a German that had been long in the British service.
Our countryman, Paddy, for my companions were also
Irish, informed me, with a revival of the brogue, which
he had forgotten, or flattered himself that he had for-
gotten for many years, that the mountains were so infested
with banditti, that he and his party were posted there to
arrest depredators and protect travellers. I must confess
that I thought that these robber-catchers had taken a
rather odd method of pursuing their vocation ; as their
huge bonfire exposed their watch-station, and consequently
enabled the banditti to avoid them, and perpetrate their
crimes with impunity. Perhaps the Hibernian had en-
T
274 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
grafted on the Germans the genius (generally considered
indigenous) of his country for such sort of mistakes. At
length the carriage came up, and, jumping into it, I bade
a long adieu to such strange mountaineer policemen, after
giving them a trifle that we could but badly afford.
I need not dwell on the pleasure we felt this morning
at beholding the gulf of Trieste, and the ships and vessels
lying in the harbour, amongst which was a Russian
squadron, consisting of four sail of the line, one frigate,
and a store-ship. We also discovered a ship at anchor
some leagues out, which, to our very great satisfaction,
we were informed was his Britannic Majesty's frigate
the Unite, Captain Campball, who, they said, blockaded
that port. This was the most welcome news imaginable.
We were now certain of being able to join our native
flag ; how did my heart pant to be afloat on the ocean,
and under the English standard ! Compared to that
summit of liberty, even my present security and recent
freedom of travelling seemed to me as slavery.
We waited on the Director of police, who received us
with great politeness, and had us conducted to the first
tavern in the town; requesting that we would still say
we were Americans. A Borea, or N.E. wind, which in
the Adriatic is most violent, was then setting in : he
assured us it would be impossible to get embarked until
the gale abated, but that he would render us every
assistance in due time. There was a gentleman named
Danolan (who had formerly been the English vice-consul)
then in town. We waited on him, and he proved in
every sense of the word a real friend ; he engaged to get
us embarked, supplied us with cash, and offered us to
remain at his house if we wished : his wife was equally
PRIDE IN THE ENGLISH FLAG 275
polite and attentive. The inclemency of the weather was
the only thing at this moment that prevented our
happiness being complete.
We returned to the tavern, and passed our moments as
comfortably as possible under existing circumstances;
dined at the table d'hote with the Russian officers of the
squadron, who at first, I imagine, supposed that we
actually were Americans, but afterwards, from a number
of insinuations thrown out by them, and the marked
attention they paid us, I became confident that they had
discovered what we were.
Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, Hewson
and myself ascended an adjacent height, when our breasts
expanded and our minds glowed at the sight of the
Adriatic. Our concealment in woods, and terrors at
towns, our swampy beds, drenched backs, and starved
stomachs, were most pleasurable reminiscences, when we
felt that they had led us to the " high top gallant of our
joy," and that we now saw our glorious element, with a
little frigate under old England's flag, blockading the port,
and keeping the whole line of coast in awe. The marine
of this coast, I verily believe, thought that they might as
easily fight the devil himself as attempt to compete with
an English squadron. 1 Let us reflect upon this immense
distance from the arsenals and resources of England, and
1 In November 1808, the date of O'Brien's stay in Trieste, all the
eastern shores of the Adriatic were French territory save the small
strips of land about Trieste and Fiume, which were Austrian.
Dalmatia and Istria, like the other old dominions of Venice, had
been annexed to Napoleon's kingdom of Italy. In 1809 the
Emperor appropriated Trieste and Fiume also, after his victory over
Austria at Wagram. Thus O'Brien, a year later, would have found
Trieste French.
276 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
then shall we see that never had a nation established such
an irresistible superiority over all enemies, as England
had consummated by her naval triumphs, and by her
naval economy and management. Thrice happily did we
hail our glorious country, as we saw her flag triumphant
on the wave.
On Monday night, the 7th November, the weather
became moderate, the English frigate got under weigh,
and I feared that she might be quitting her station. So
anxious was I to be once more on a quarter-deck, that it
never occurred to me that the blockade could not be
raised, and, that if she left, another must resume the
station. We repaired to our friend Mr. Danolan, who
assured us that he had provided all things for our de-
parture ; and, by his arrangement, by half-past eight we
had embarked, and in a short time we were clear of the
harbour. However, a few minutes before we embarked I
put into the post-office a letter directed to my friends
Tuthill and Ashworth, in the real German character,
giving them a minute detail of the course we had taken,
and all particulars relative to our successes, which they
fortunately received, and which afterwards enabled them
to escape.
We rowed towards the point where I had calculated
we should find the English frigate ; but, to our mortifica-
tion, we were disappointed. When the moon was up we
weighed, and stood out for her ; but, to the grief of my
heart, we could not fall in with her. I concealed all the
tortures of my mind, lest I should afflict my comrades.
We kept rowing in different directions, on a sort of
forlorn hope, until daybreak, when we observed a man-of-
war's boat pulling right down for us. It ran alongside of
AN OLD SHIPMATE 277
us, and asked in English what we were. I sprang up at
hearing the English language, and, with inexpressible joy,
saw that it was a British ship-of-war's boat. I answered
that we were three British subjects who had escaped from
a French prison. Having been informed that it was the
Amphioii's boat, I assured the officer we should be very
happy to quit our present conveyance, and take a passage
with him to the frigate. He replied, "The ship is at
present at a considerable distance off; I shall not return
until eight o'clock." I answered that that was of little
consequence ; two of us belonged to the navy, and we
would willingly take a cruise along the coast with him, if
he had no objection. "Very well," was his rejoinder.
So we paid our boatmen, dismissed them, and had the
happiness of being once more under our proper colours,
and on our own element.
Upon turning round, and looking at the officer who
commanded the boat, how excessive were my surprise and
joy when I instantly recognised Lieutenant Jones, an old
friend and shipmate of 1802. I immediately made my-
self known to him, and this excellent fellow exultingly
expressed his gladness that he should have been the
officer that had had the good fortune of picking us up.
I was astonished at finding that the Amphion, instead
of the Unite frigate, was the ship lying at anchor off
Trieste. Lieutenant Jones cleared the point up by stat-
ing that the Ampliwn had arrived only that night, and
that his Majesty's ship L? Unite had weighed and stood
lower down the gulf. Strange was it that my old ship
and friend should arrive on the very night that the
weather favoured our embarkation from Trieste.
This morning, November the 8th, 1808, I shall never
278 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
forget. We felt in perfect security, and were amusing
ourselves by narrating anecdotes of our escape, recalling
to mind the horrors of the "Mansion of Tears," and in
indulging hopes in favour of our friends within its walls,
when at eight o'clock our amusement was put an end to
by the discovery of two strange sail under Capo d'Istria.
We took them for enemy's merchant -vessels, stealing
along shore. Lieutenant Jones made directly towards
them. One we soon perceived was full of men, and was
endeavouring to separate from the other, and to pull
closer in shore. She had the appearance of a row-boat,
whilst her companion was larger, and was rigged like a
trabaccolo, or schooner, under Venetian colours. We con-
cluded that the greater part of the crew had abandoned
her, and were endeavouring to get on shore in the row-
boat.
The disparity of force wasl immense, and every circum-
stance was against us ; but, although we were only in a
frigate's yawl (a very small boat comparatively), our
gallant officer without hesitation resolved to board, and
make a hand to hand affair of it. The odds were sadly
against us. Who can conceive my pride and elation
when I thus found myself participating in the glories of
my profession, and reflected how short a time had elapsed
since I had been either a prisoner in a dungeon, or a sort
of Nebuchadnezzar wandering in the fields and forests.
My good fortune was excessive, in being thus, as it were
at a tangent, thrust into active service, a ship's cutlass,
a black musket, were good substitutes for my chains and
padlock ; and I acted a marine's part on this occasion.
We fired several shots to bring the enemy to, which
the trabaccolo returned with compound interest, by letting
AN UNSUCCESSFUL FIGHT 279
fly at us from a four or six pounder. Our gallant little
band gave way, i.e. pulled towards the enemy. We could
not perceive many men on her deck, but those that were
there kept up a smart fire. At length we got alongside,
in the right English style, when upwards of twenty men
suddenly showed themselves, with an officer at their head,
decorated with the Legion of Honour, at whom I dis-
charged my musket, which I believe took fatal effect.
But at the moment I received a musketoon ball in my
right arm, that disabled it. They poured into us a volley
from muskets, musketoons, blunderbusses, etc. Our bow-
man and another sailor fell dead; three other seamen
dropt from their wounds, and Green Dick, the pilot, one
of them, died the next day. Jones was also severely
wounded. Our little party was thus sadly thinned. The
other vessel, seeing how few were our numbers, and how
much they had been decreased, made towards the tra-
baccolo with twenty-two men. We had no alternative,
but were under the necessity of sheering off, and it was
only to their dastardly conduct that we remained indebted
for not being again made prisoners. The frigate was not
then in sight, and the confused state of our little crew,
two killed and five wounded, including our brave and
gallant officer, would have rendered us no difficult con-
quest to so superior a force, had they but persevered in
the attack. Our retreat was covered by the musket of
only one marine, whose name was Hunt ; I supplied him
with cartridges as fast as he could load and fire, biting
them off and giving them with my left hand to him. My
friend, Barklimore, was of essential service to us, in bind-
ing up our wounds with handkerchiefs, etc., for there
were not a sufficient number of tourniquets. My worthy
280 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN (TBRIEN
comrade, Hewson, also greatly distinguished himself as
one of the boarders, and afterwards by tugging at the oar
to facilitate our escape.
Lieutenant Jones never made the slightest complaint, nor
did he let any one know that he was wounded, until we
were well clear of the enemy, although it proved to be a
most painful and dangerous wound which he had received ;
he had also several musket-balls through the crown of his
hat. My wound, through the right arm, as I have
observed, disabled it so that I never fully recovered the
strength of it. 1
At about half-past twelve, or noon, we got alongside
my good old ship, towed by her launch, which they sent
out on noticing from the mast-head our disabled state.
We were hoisted on board in a chair, with the utmost care,
the captain and officers evincing much anxiety towards us ?
and vieing with each other in offices of kindness. The other
two worthy lieutenants of the Amphion, Messrs. Bennet
and Phillott, had been on board of her in my time, and
thus was I at home amongst old friends and shipmates.
I had not been heard of for many years, and all that
my brother-officers knew of me was, that I was a prisoner
in a French gaol ; judge, therefore, what was their
astonishment, when in hoisting in the wounded they found
a stranger, and recognised that stranger to be me. It
seemed to them that I must have dropt from the clouds,
for they could form no conjecture how I came amongst
them.
1 For this very serious wound, I have never received any pension,
as it was not considered equivalent to the loss of a limb, when I was
surveyed by order of the Lords of the Admiralty in May, 1817 ; and
yet what is the difference between the loss of a limb, and the loss of
the use of a limb ?
WITH OLD FRIENDS 281
Captain Hoste, though unknown to me, behaved like a
parent, and his very great humanity will never be erased
from my grateful recollection ; although he confessed
upon my first appearance, he was prejudiced against me,
for he had imagined that I had been the chief of the
vessel Mr. Jones had attacked, and who had done all the
mischief to this officer and his crew. His clerk gave me
up his cabin. Mr. Moffat, the surgeon, and his assistant,
Mr. Angus, treated us with the greatest care and tender-
ness. The ball, it appeared, having divided the muscles,
had completely laid bare the artery of my arm, grazing
without lacerating it, but so much so, that both of the
surgeons, in the first instance, were of opinion that
amputation was unavoidable. My habits for a long time
had been so abstemious that my system was free from any
inflammatory tendency ; and to this, I suppose, I may owe
my recovering without suffering the loss of my limb. The
whole of the officers were zealous in affording us every
solace and succour that could be expected by people in
our miserable condition, from their generous country-
men.
Sixteen days elapsed, through most of which I had been
confined to my cot. My arm was getting better rapidly,
and glad was I to be informed that Jones was as quickly
recovering of his wound. I embraced an opportunity
given me during this period of sixteen days, by a merchant
from Trieste coming on board, to have a letter sent,
agreeably to promise, to the commandant at Lindau,
dated " on board H. M. frigate, Amphwn^ now blockading
the port of Trieste," assuring him how happy I should
be, if ever any opportunity presented itself, of my having
it in my power to convince him that I entertained no
282 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
vindictive feeling for the unnecessary severity that I had
received at his hand.
H.M. brig Spider, commanded by Lieutenant Sand-
ford Oliver, now joined us from Malta, with orders. She
was to return at once, and as I felt full of anxiety to join
the commander-in-chief, off* Toulon, or proceed to Eng-
land, I got from the surgeon an assurance that there
could be no danger in my being removed. Captain Hoste
kindly yielded to my solicitations to be allowed to take
a passage in the Spider, though he added, in the most
friendly manner, that if I preferred it, I might remain
with him, until he went down to Malta with a convoy
which he shortly expected. Hewson and I expressed our
fear of missing our promotion, having lost so many years
in consequence of our captivity : he approved of our
wishes, and gave us a letter of introduction and recom-
mendation to Sir Alexander Ball, who was port-admiral
and governor of Malta. We took a cordial leave of all
our worthy friends in the Amphwn, were conveyed to the
Spider, and in a short time got under weigh, standing
down the gulf.
Off Corfu I had the satisfaction of seeing the French
flag struck, for the first time after a number of years : the
Spider took a bombard (a vessel with a kind of cutter-rig),
laden with wool and gregos (greatcoats). On the 8th of
December we arrived at Malta, and in consequence of this
capture were put into quarantine.
In the meantime, H.M. ship Woolwich was about to
sail to England with a convoy. Admiral Ball had ordered
Barklimore a passage in her ; but she unfortunately got
out to sea before we could procure him a conveyance.
However, he was put on board a transport belonging to
WE MEET BATLEY ONCE MORE 283
the convoy, and arrived safe in England. H.M. ship
Proserpine was the next day to proceed off Toulon, to
Lord Collingwood ; and had we not been in quarantine,
it was the intention of Sir Alexander Ball to have sent us
on board. The Proserpine was taken by the French;
therefore we had to felicitate ourselves on our fifth escape
from a French prison. We were ten days before we got
out of quarantine ; and on the same day the Amphion
arrived. H.M. ship Leonidas was on the point of sailing
to the fleet ; l Sir Alexander Ball ordered us a passage,
and everything was arranged for joining the commander-
in-chief oft* Toulon with all possible expedition.
Prior to our going on board the Leonidas, we went off'
to take leave of our good friends on board the Amphion.
Imagine what were our astonishment and joy when the
first person we saw on arriving on her deck was the com-
panion of our flight, our brother-sufferer Batley, whom,
from his lameness and ill-health, we had been obliged to
leave at the public-house in Baden. Happily for him, he
was picked up off Trieste, and only a few days after we
had sailed in the Spider. When our mutual congratula-
tions were over, he briefly related to us the following
particulars of his adventures and fate :
" The people with whom you had left me in the small
village behaved with great attention, as did likewise the
old shoemaker. As soon as I was perfectly recovered,
I quitted them and directed my course towards Austria ;
but on the second or third day I was arrested near
Elsingen, in Wirtemberg, and thrown into prison, where
I remained five weeks. They had written to inform the
1 I.e. the Mediterranean squadron, then underLord Collingwood,
engaged in the blockade of Toulon.
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
French Government that they had me in custody ; how-
ever, before an escort (which they expected) arrived from