12.  Examined,  at  Mr.  Shee's  apartment,  an  Ame-
rican captain,  who  is  only  five  or  six  days  from  Lon-
don. He  gives  us  no  great  encouragement.  His  ac-
count is,  that  Sir  J.  Jervis  is  off  Ushant,  as  he  heard,
with  eleven  or  twelve  sail  of  the  line  ;  and  he,  him-
self, coming  down  Channel,  fell  in  with  three  diffe-
rent little  squadrons,  two  of  four  ships  and  one  of
three,  which  were  standing  to  the  westward  under
easy  sail,  and  were  going,  as  he  supposed,  to  join
Admiral  Jervis.     If  that  be  so,   they  will  keep   us

H  2


100  MEMOIRS    OF

here  as  long  as  they  please,  for,  when  united,  they
will  make  twenty-two  sail  of  the  line,  and  our  expe-
dition is  but  twelve.     In  that  case,  our  only  chance
is  to  wait  for  the  first  hard  gale  of  wind  which  may
blow  them  off  the  coast,  and  then  liiake  a  run  for  it.
