No sooner was the British admiral informed of Villeneuve's departure, than he went in pursuit of him. Report had assigned Egypt as the destination of the French squadron, and this idea seemed to be confirmed by a variety of circumstances. Eager to counteract the enemy's design, the admiral, on the 20th of January, sent advice to the British ambassador at Constantinople, that the Toulon fleet had sailed with 2 considerable number of troops on board, probably intended to make a descent on the Morea, or on Egypt. The same information he likewise transmitted to the commandant of Coron, in the Morea.

Having taken this precaution, he immediately pro ceeded in quest of the enemy, and on the 29th of January arrived off the Lipari islands. The appearance of such a formidable force excited a considerable commotion, before the colors could be distinguished, on the Sicilian coast, where it was mistaken for the Toulon fleet, which was there reported to have on board ten thousand men, destined for that island. On the 30th his lordship endeavoured to pass through the Streight of Messina, but was prevented by the strong south winds. This he, however, accomplished the following day; and being disappointed in the expectation of meeting with the enemy in those seas, he continued his course without loss of time towards Malta.

Deceived by false intelligence, Lord Nelson now determined to revisit those shores which had a few years before been the theatre of his glory. Panting with the hope of again annihilating the enemies of his country, he steered with his squadron for the bay of Aboukir. Here it was again mistaken for the French fleet; the terrified inhabitants forsook the towns on

the coast, which were found deserted by the crews of the boats that landed to procure refreshments. Such is the indolence of these wretched people, that in the short interval since the British forces evacuated the country, the fortifications both of Alexandria and Aboukir have been so neglected, that they have fallen to ruin.

Finding here no foe to encounter, but strongly prepossessed with the idea that the French fleet was on its way to Egypt, Lord Nelson returned to Sicily with the view to intercept it. Villeneuve had, in the mean time, quietly returned to Toulon. Secure in the distance of his terrific foe, when all his preparations were completed, he proceeded to accomplish the grand plan which had been projected. On the 30th of March he again left Toulon with eleven sail of the line, a frigate, and two corvettes, in which were embarked 10,000 chosen troops, under the command of General Lauriston. He first sailed to Carthagena, where the ships under the Spanish Admiral Salcedo were not in readiness to join him. Fearful of losing time, Villeneuve pursued his course to Cadiz, where he was expected by Admiral Gravina with six Spanish sail of the line, having on board 2280 troops.

On the 9th of April the French fleet appeared off Cadiz. Sir John Orde, who was blockading that port with five sail of the line, was unable to prevent the junction of the Spanish squadron with that of France. Villeneuve was near enough to force him to an action, but his instructions prescribed him a different destination. He immediately sent directions to the French ship of the line l'Aigle, which had long lain at Cadiz, to put to sea, and was soon afterwards joined by Ad

miral Gravina with six sail of the line, and five frigates. Nature seemed to favor this junction; a strong east wind soon carried the combined fleet out of sight of Cadiz.

On his return from the shores of Egypt, Lord Nelson watched with anxious expectation for the enemy in the Sicilian seas till the middle of April. It was not till then he received the disagreeable intelligence that he had been deceived. His penetrating mind now conjectured that nothing but the British West-Indies could be the object of the enemy, and thither he determined to pursue them. Having arrived at the mouth of the Streights of Gibraltar, he put into Tetuan Bay on the 2d of May, where he took on board water and other necessaries. In the night of the 4th the squadron weighed, and being close under Ceuta, the Spaniards opened a fire on the ships, but none of their shot reached them. They came to an anchor in the bay of Gibraltar on the 5th, and passing, the next day, through the Streights, arrived at Lagos Bay on the 10th. Here the admiral took in some stores from the transports, which were with Sir John Orde off Cadiz, when he first discovered the French fleet, and which had run into the bay for safety. Here too his lordship received positive information that the combined squadrons had proceeded to the West-Indies.

Inspired with fresh ardor, he flew on the wings of the wind in pursuit of the foe, sensible of the mischiefs that must result to his country from the loss of her West-India possessions. May the 3d he weighed from Lagos Bay, and with a fleet of ten sail of the line and three frigates, steered for Madeira, which was seen by the squadron on the 15th. Leaving that island,

his arrival. Disappointed in this object, he set sail. for Europe, and on the 31st of May re-entered the port of Rochefort, with the booty he had acquired.

Lord Nelson, as we have seen, was pursuing the combined French and Spanish fleet to the theatre of Missiessi's depredations. On the 4th of June his lordship arrived at Barbadoes. The French fleet, from which the squadron of Admiral Gravina had separated, reached Martinique on the 14th of May, and invested the Diamond Rock; after a brave resistance from Captain Maurice and his little garrison of seamen, they were obliged, on the 27th of May, to surrender. At Martinique the French admiral remained three weeks, taking in water and provisions, without attempting any thing either against the British islands, or the inferior squadrons of Admirals Cochrane and Dacres.

At Barbadoes Lord Nelson received information that the hostile fleet had sailed to attack Trinidad. Two thousand troops, under Lieutenant-general Sir William Myers, commander-in-chief in the Windward and Leeward islands, were immediately embarked; and having been joined by Admiral Cochrane with two ships of the line, Lord Nelson set sail the day after his arrival to the southward. Anticipation already beheld in the Gulf of Paria another Aboukir.

Being now nearly certain of meeting with the enemy who had so long eluded his anxious pursuit, the Bri tish admiral shaped his course for Trinidad. On the morning of the 7th of June he came in sight of the island, and discovered that it was under such an alarm, that all the signals from the squadron could. not prevent the troops from blowing up Fort Abercromby,

and making their retreat towards the town. This circumstance confirmed him in the opinion that the enemy had arrived and carried the island, but on entering the harbor, the English colors were perceived flying, and he found, to his extreme mortification, that he had been once more deceived.

Nothing was now left but to go to the northward, taking all the islands in their turn. Accordingly, on the 8th, the squadron weighed, and the following day reached Grenada, where his lordship was informed by the Jason frigate that the enemy's fleet had left Martinique the same morning, and had been seen steering in a northern direction. This intelligence inspired him with fresh hopes; after so long a chase he found himself not more than three days' sail behind them, and in case they meditated an attack on Antigua or any other island, he was confident of rendering that design abortive.

The French, however, were far from entertaining any such intention. Villeneuve contented himself with the glory he had already acquired by the occupation of the Diamond Rock and the capture of the Cyane, of 24 guns: and having been again joined by Gravina, he hastened to return to Europe. He had heard of the arrival of Nelson, and fled panic-struck by his name from the regions of the west, as he had once done from his thunders on the shores of Egypt.

The hero of Aboukir proceeded Antigua, where dispatches from the governor, Lord Lavington, confirmed the intelligence he had already received, namely, that the enemy were gone northward, and had been seen from Antigua very distinctly, four days before. He was now convinced that they were re