conceiving that this was but the forerunner of a far more serious
engagement, called his officers together, and asked them if the ship was
fit to go into action against such a superior force without some small
refit and refreshment for the men. Their answer was, that she certainly
was not. He then gave these orders,--"Veer the ship, and lay her head
to the westward: let some of the best men be employed in refitting the
rigging, and the carpenter in getting crows and capstan-bars to prevent
our wounded spars from coming down: and get the wine up for the people,
with some bread, for it may be half an hour good before we are again
in action." But when the French came up, their comrade made signals of
distress, and they all hoisted out their boats to go to her assistance,
leaving the AGAMEMNON unmolested.

Nelson found Commodore Linzee at Tunis, where he had been sent to
expostulate with the dey upon the impolicy of his supporting the
revolutionary government of France. Nelson represented to him the
atrocity of that government. Such arguments were of little avail
in Barbary; and when the Dey was told that the French had put their
sovereign to death, he drily replied, that "Nothing could be more
heinous; and yet, if historians told the truth, the English had once
done the same." This answer had doubtless been suggested by the
French about him: they had completely gained the ascendancy, and all
negotiation on our part proved fruitless. Shortly afterward, Nelson was
detached with a small squadron, to co-operate with General Paoli and the
Anti-Gallican party in Corsica.

Some thirty years before this time the heroic patriotism of the
Corsicans, and of their leader Paoli, had been the admiration of
England. The history of these brave people is but a melancholy tale. The
island which they inhabit has been abundantly blessed by nature; it