After the battle of Salamanca, Soult, thinking his situation before Cadiz insecure, raised the siege, and retired into the interior; but it being doubtful whether he might not make a dash at Carthagena, Rear-Admiral Sir Sidney Smith proceeded thither from Gibraltar in the _Tremendous_ (74), to communicate with the general commanding our army at Alicant and Rear-Admiral Hallowell on the subject. I was, therefore, sent thither with two Spanish regiments, embarked on board transports, to be ready to act in case of necessity, but with orders on no account to land the troops, unless the place was threatened, as a bad periodical yellow fever was raging in the town with great violence. The gallant admiral (Sir Sidney Smith), however, would take me on shore to show me the best places to plant cannon and take up position in case of attack. After this, we must go to the hospital to inquire into the nature of the fever, &c. Every now and then he gave me a pinch of snuff, telling me not to swallow my saliva, and there would be no danger of catching the disease. In the course of a week I was attacked by fever, but, being in the outer roadstead, the fresh air probably prevented its attaining that malignancy it had reached in the town, but it was some weeks before I perfectly recovered. The _Tremendous_ (74), with the admiral, sailed the day after our visit to the city to join the fleet off Toulon. Several other men-of-war arrived in the course of a few days with more troops from headquarters. Whether Soult was deterred by the sickness prevailing in the place, or had heard of the reinforcements, he passed on his route, and we all returned to Alicant. Shortly after, I was sent to Altea Bay, to lie there and protect any transports that might arrive to procure water. During my stay there the French sent a detachment of three hundred infantry and a squadron of cavalry from Denia to forage and levy contributions. Having only my own ship’s company--which altogether, men and boys, amounted to only one hundred and forty--it was impossible for me to land and fight them, but by making a show with our boats, and firing a few shots, we dislodged them from the town, and prevented their plundering it or getting any contributions from the inhabitants. They succeeded, however, in our neighbourhood, and in the course of a couple of days collected a quantity of forage, &c., and retired upon Denia. Within one day’s march of Altea was a Spanish division of troops, to whom I immediately sent the moment intelligence of the enemy’s intention of paying us a visit reached me. The officer I dispatched got to them the same evening, and returned back the following morning, three hours before the arrival of the enemy. The Spaniards, with their usual alertness, sent two regiments--about twelve hundred men--_exactly five days_ after the French had retired.