Carrying Lord St. Vincent’s letter to Nelson seems to have been the first service of importance which fell to the share of Captain Austen. Perhaps some description of the more ordinary happenings of the life on board of a sloop of war may prove of interest. The change from the position of First Lieutenant on board a ship of the line to that of the Captain of a small vessel must necessarily have been very marked. Towards the end of 1798 the _Peterel_ had had the misfortune to be captured by the Spaniards, who treated the captain (Charles Long) and his crew very badly. The following day she was rescued by the _Argo_, under Captain Bowen. Francis Austen was then given the command, and on February 27 we find him taking over his new duties, the _Peterel_ being then moored in Gibraltar Bay. The first few months were spent in cruising about the west of the Mediterranean. Almost every day there was a pursuit of some vessel of more or less importance. Sometimes “the chace” proved to be a friendly craft, sometimes she got away, but not infrequently was captured and overhauled. On one occasion, Francis Austen remarks trenchantly, “Our chace proved to be a tower on the land.” Evidently the plan of procedure was always to follow up and find out the nationality of any distant sail. If a friend, news was interchanged, and often some help might be given. If an enemy, an attack usually followed. One of these small encounters is described in the log of the date March 23, 1799, the _Peterel_ then cruising off the south side of Majorca. “11 o’clock.--Saw a latteen-sail boat, appearing to be a privateer, just within the western point of Cabrera. From the manœuvres of this boat I judge her to be a privateer. When we first saw her she was on the starboard tack, and seemed to be examining us. I could just distinguish her hull from the Catharpins. She appeared to be full of men. She was rigged with one large latteen sail, and might be about fifteen to twenty tons.” This boat was evidently not to be seen again until “At a quarter past 3, perceived the chace run round a point of the island into a cove, under the protection of a castle situated on a high rock. This was the same boat we saw in the forenoon. Our appearance had evidently frightened them, and they judged it prudent to keep snug till we were gone by, and, at the time they ventured out, supposed us too far off to distinguish them. It was, indeed, with difficulty that we could, as the distance was full three leagues, and their sail was nearly the same colour as the rock along which they were passing.