I thought that by following them in my shell of a gig, and waiting for a smooth, after three successive waves had broken upon the bar, I might get safe also; but I was soon taught a different lesson--the sea was more nimble than the gig, and although the men pulled to the utmost to go faster than the breakers, yet they beat us hollow, and taking the boat up on one of their white tops, spun us over in a moment. Fortunately we had not far to swim, and as soon as the waves had beaten us over the bar we got into quite smooth water, when, sticking to the boat and oars, we soon reached the shore, though not without a precious good ducking. We had, unfortunately, the viscountess’s poor abigail in the boat, who never before had had such a swim in salt water, so it was something new to her, and gave her an opportunity of adding a paragraph to her letter when she wrote home, describing her foreign travels by sea, land, and _under the water_. She was nearly drowned, poor thing! but keeping her on her back we swam with her ashore. She was carried to a Spanish house, wrapped up in blankets, where a few drops of comfort in the shape of brandy, and some hours’ repose, made her as lively as a lark again. By the way of drying myself, and getting the salt water out of me, I mounted a mule, and rode to Villa Franca, the head-quarters of our army, distant about thirteen miles, to see some old military friends. The country around was very pretty, and we had a fine view of the celebrated Mount Serrat, rising from a plain in numerous mountains and spires,[L] with convents upon them; but the whole of that part of the country was forbidden ground, being occupied by the French army. On my return in the evening I visited my water-nymph, and was happy to find her quite recovered from the severe morning’s ducking. I offered to take her off again with me in the gig, which she, like a wise woman, declined; being a novice in the art of swimming, and not liking the first lesson I gave her, she preferred returning to the ship next day in a country boat. The day having turned out fine, the swell towards evening had somewhat gone down, though it was still so great that I was nearly swamped going back to the ship. On taking leave of the gallant Rear-Admiral Benjamin Hallowell next day, he gave me a letter of thanks, and did me the honour to say he was sorry to part with me; the regrets were mutual, for it was a pleasure to be under the command of an officer of his abilities and experience. He has not many months ago paid the debt of nature, full of years and honours, beloved and respected by all who knew him, and generally regretted by the service. He was one of those “Who take them for all in all, We ne’er (I fear), shall see their like again.”