On one of our spring cruises, in May, 1810, we lost our captain (John Conn), who, in a fit of derangement, jumped overboard out of his stern cabin, and was drowned. He was a thorough seaman, and very much beloved by us all. He served in Lord Rodney’s fleet in the action of the 12th of April, 1782, and commanded the _Dreadnought_ (98), at the battle of Trafalgar. He was mate of the _Ramilies_ (74), Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, when she was lost in that dreadful gale, which proved fatal to the _Ville de Paris_ (110), _Glorieux_ (74), _Centaur_ (74), and various other men-of-war, transports, and merchant ships, in the gulf stream, not far from the latitude of Bermuda, when returning to England in August of that year with the prizes taken by Lord Rodney. He gave me a piece of advice respecting the coast of America which I shall never forget, and as it is of that sort which all seamen liable to be sent on the North American station ought to be acquainted with, I shall mention it here. “Never lay your ship to at night in a gale of wind to the S.S.W. on the coast of America on the larboard tack, for the wind generally flies round at once to the N.W. with a heavy squall, and takes the ship flat back.” It was this, and lying-to under a main-sail, which caused the loss of the _Ramilies_ at that period. He often gave me an account of that misfortune. It was as follows:--“We were on the larboard tack, with a reefed main-sail set. The gale commenced from S.E., and gradually came round to the S.S.W., blowing extremely hard. When in the middle watch of the night of the 16th of October, 1782, the wind flew round in a most tremendous squall to the N.W., taking the ship aback, and throwing her nearly on her beam ends. We tried to brace the main-yard round, but, finding it impossible, we cut the foot rope of the main-sail, which was quite a new one, with the hope of splitting it, but it was bound so tight against the mast and rigging that we could not effect this. The ship at this time had great stern-way upon her; the sea, breaking over her poop, stove in the dead-lights and windows, and filled the ward-room and admiral’s cabin with water, and before anything could be done the main-mast, mizen-mast, and foretop-mast went over the side; the stern-post was much shaken, and the ship, nearly a new one, sprung a dangerous leak. At daylight the whole convoy was scattered; many of the vessels dismasted--some had foundered--and the sea was covered with wreck; the wind blowing a hurricane. By dint of perseverance, having thrown overboard most of her guns and heavy stores, we succeeded in keeping the ship afloat until the 22nd, when, finding she would not float much longer, we took advantage of a lull of wind, and saved the crew on board a few of the merchant ships that had continued by her.”