Compton, with instructions to proceed immediately on shore and deliver it. On landing, he found the city in the greatest consternation, a strong column of French troops having gained admittance, and taken possession of all the sea-defences: his boat’s crew were soon seized and imprisoned, but he himself succeeded in reaching the residence of the English consul, whose house was then completely closed, with a strong guard in front of it to protect him from threatened violence. He then proceeded, in company with that gentleman, to the palace of the Doge; and on his presenting Nelson’s letter, it was determined that the senate should immediately be summoned. After some time spent in deliberation. Lieutenant Compton was informed that a representation of the whole matter should be made to the English minister at Turin; and he was also given to understand, though in an indirect way, that his detention had been resolved upon. He then returned home with the consul, who immediately decided upon endeavouring to get him off in a fishing-boat, could any native be found who would undertake so dangerous a service: his first efforts proved ineffectual, but at length he succeeded in finding a man who was in the habit of going out every night the weather permitted, and who, for a large sum of money, agreed to meet his wishes; which promise he most faithfully fulfilled.
On the following morning, at day-break, not one of the squadron was to be seen, and it became a subject of deep and anxious solicitude with Lieutenant Compton, whether to return to Genoa or to proceed in an open boat to Leghorn. He resolved upon going to the latter place, where he expected to find the Agamemnon; but it required the exertion of all his persuasive powers to bring the boatmen into the same way of thinking. A strong N.W. gale now began to blow, and drove him considerably to the southward of his intended course; it proved, however, the most fortunate circumstance that could have happened, for on the evening of the second day after his escape from Genoa, he had the infinite satisfaction of re-joining the Agamemnon, off Capreja, an island belonging to the Genoese republic, and which Nel-
