On the morning of May 5, from the Rock of Gibraltar, Lord St. Vincent saw, with the deepest anxiety, the French fleet running before a westerly gale into the Mediterranean. His most immediate fear was lest Bruix should be on his way to help Bonaparte at Acre, and to overwhelm Sydney Smith’s squadron. If so, the question was how to stop him. Lord Bridport’s fleet was useless, as it was not until nearly four weeks later that he was able to send help. Lord Keith was blockading Cadiz. If he left, the whole Spanish fleet would be released and at liberty to attack where they would. Nelson was at Palermo with only one British line-of-battle ship, and great would be the consternation in the town if that one ship were to be withdrawn. A small squadron was blockading Malta, and a few ships were at Minorca under Commodore Duckworth, but Port Mahon was not yet fully garrisoned. Troubridge was outside Naples. Bruix might attack any of these divisions with the full force of his fleet, or he might proceed straight to Egypt. St. Vincent had to determine which of these positions should be abandoned in order to meet the French fleet. He decided on ordering Keith into the Mediterranean so as to concentrate the available forces, sending word as far as possible to the outlying squadrons. To Nelson at Palermo he wrote that he expected the enemy to proceed to Malta and Alexandria. This despatch was entrusted to the _Hyena_, which fell in with the _Peterel_, now under the command of Francis Austen. The _Peterel_ was already on the way to Nelson with a despatch from Minorca, and, being a fast-sailing sloop, the captain of the _Hyena_ at once handed on the important paper to be delivered by Captain Austen. The entries in the log of the _Peterel_ at this date tell their own story: “_May 10._--On the passage from Minorca to Palermo. “12 noon.--Off shore four or five miles. “2 o’clock.--Answered the private signal made by a ship in the S.S.E. “4 o’clock.--Showed our pendants to a ship in the S.S.E. “5 o’clock.--Joined H.M.S. _Hyena_; lowered the jolly-boat, and went on board. “10 past 5.--Up boat and made all sail; the _Hyena_ parted company, standing to the N.W. “_May 12._ A quarter past 9.--Saw a sail on the lee bow, made the private signal to her, which was answered. Made the signal for having gained intelligence, and repeated it with four guns, but it was not answered. “15 minutes past 11.--Hove to; lowered the jolly-boat and went on board the stranger, which proved to be H.M.S. _Pallas_, with a convoy for the westward. “20 minutes past 11.--Up boat, filled, and made all sail as before. Observed the _Pallas_ bear up and follow us with her convoy. “_May 13._--At daylight, Cape Trepano (in Sicily). S.S.W. five or six leagues. “A quarter-past 3 P.M.--Shortened sail, backed ship, hove to and lowered the boat. The first lieutenant went on shore with despatches for Lord Nelson at Palermo.