'June 6.--This day six years I was made a Post Captain, had my poor father lived to-day he would have completed his sixty-third year. Strong winds and contrary--directly in our teeth. Nevertheless we make good more than four miles per hour. Yesterday hove to under the lee of Gibraltar all day. I finished Byron's Memoirs by T. Moore. Many sentences in his latter letters from Missolonghi which he word for word said to me when I saw him there. Our passengers are a gentleman in the government of Corfu and a young officer of the _Britannia_ said to be dying of a consumption--eats like the devil--very obstinate--will do as he pleases, seems determined to do what is quite right--send the doctor to the devil. Learn that a horse power in steaming is 32,000 lbs. 'June 9.--Fell in with the _St. Vincent_ bearing the Flag of E.A. Sir H. Hotham on his way to relieve Sir P. Malcolm. Received letters from my uncles, &c. &c. Melancholy enough and politically disagreeable. Shall rejoin my dear _Alligator_ again. Nothing can be more kind than the conduct of the Admiralty. Allow ship to come home if I please, &c. &c. 'Steam boilers leak. Put fires out, lose seven hours--obliged to empty boilers--the Devil and all! At least the men here are devils incarnate--two of them entered the boilers and drove rivets with the thermometer 160 in there. 'Sir H. Hotham wrote me a kind note in answer to my request to allow Hart to bring the ship home after me. 'June 20.--At sea hove to off the coast of Portugal in the steam packet. Sailed from Gibraltar (the 2nd time having put back once in consequence of the coals being bad Welsh). On the 15th called at Cadiz. On the 16th went on shore, Consul B--y pompous, &c. Daughters, music, painting, &c. William the Conqueror, &c. &c. Last night the Jew groaned heavily in his sleep, woke him--he was dreaming of being robbed of his money. 'June 23.--Put into Vigo Bay for coals and left it in the evening of the 24th. Beautiful Bay, fresh day; St. John's market a beautiful sight, if fine women constituted that. The steamboat all day crowded with strangers. Heard that Don Pedros had left Brazil and been received in London. 'June 30.--Arrived in sight of Falmouth and anchored in 30 fm. having burnt the guts and bulwarks to bring her thus far. Went to town the next day by mail.' CHAPTER VII COURT DUTIES AND POLITICS. 1831-1847