The harbour was crowded with men-of-war, and the garrison with troops, returned from Egypt. I heard of a great deal of gambling taking place--some duels in consequence, and suicides. Of all vices, gambling is the worst, for you not only risk your own ruin, but that of your family also; and a man of honour and principle stands no chance with black-legs. A person possessed of affluence ought not to gamble, because he cannot want another’s money, and a poor man that does so, and plays for a large amount, must be a swindler, knowing that if he loses he has not the means to pay; he generally, therefore, gives leg bail for the amount. Our time passed rather heavily during this long sojourn in one place. We used, however, to go occasionally in a boat to St. Paul’s Bay, and have a ride to Florean to see the catacombs, and to Cività Vecchia to view the handsome church of St. Paul. A malignant fever broke out in several of the ships, owing, probably, to the great heat of the weather, when many died: it was something like the yellow fever, and came on in August and September. Shortly after this we embarked two companies of artillery, under a Captain McDonald, and Lieutenants Dougal, Campbell, and Carmichael, with orders to proceed to Gibraltar, and thence home. Owing to heavy westerly winds, we had a six weeks’ passage, and found on our arrival that a most serious disturbance had taken place amongst the troops in the garrison, which ended in one of the regiments being packed off to the West Indies. Various causes were assigned for the mutiny, and amongst others, a too sudden change from a very relaxed state of discipline to the opposite extreme. After remaining here a few days, though we had expected to sail the moment the wind came to the eastward for England, the arrival of despatches from thence stopped our proceeding. Napoleon’s plans, by the wisdom and foresight of the Ministry, were seen through, and orders arrived for the detention of all the ships of the line (at all serviceable) then in the Mediterranean, instead of sending them to England. This created a partial murmur amongst the different crews; but the firmness and strict discipline of our captain and officers kept our ship’s company perfectly quiet. The crew of the _Gibraltar_, however, broke out, and two of the unfortunate men were hanged afterwards in Orestana Bay, Sardinia.