Parker and Orde, who had been passed over because the safety of Europe depended on the fleet's winning a decisive victory, weighed heavily on the Admiral's spirits, and brought on that irritability and sickness which so frequently followed inaction and disappointment in this extraordinary fighter. But for some reason, the fair wind which carried us out of the great harbour of Syracuse blew away these vapours from his brain. He augured that we were on the scent, and the confidence and cheerfulness borne of good omens returned to him. We had a fine stiff sailing breeze, and he crowded on every stitch of canvas we could use, although the flagship, which had never been properly repaired since the gale which had dismasted her off Toulon, was hardly in a condition to bear it. We stood straight for Cerigo, which is the island that lies at the foot of the Morea, as some island lies broken off at the foot of every peninsula. As we neared the Gulf of Koron, having no frigates, the _Culloden_ was detailed to enter it for intelligence; and on her return the next day she brought with her a French brig, and information that the enemy's fleet had been seen steering south-east from Kandia about fourteen days before. And on the same day Captain Ball of the _Alexander_ obtained the like intelligence from a vessel passing close to the fleet. The Admiral immediately bore up under all sail for Alexandria. We left Syracuse on July 25th, and made such an extraordinary passage that on the evening of the 31st the Admiral made the signal for the fleet to close, we being so near Alexandria. Early on the morning of the 1st, we having no frigates, the _Alexander_ and the _Swiftsure_ were sent ahead to look out; and "at ten a.m. the _Alexander_ made a signal supposed for the land, all the fleet in company." At four o'clock the Pharos Tower was visible in that clear atmosphere, from where I was standing by the Admiral on the poop, though it was at the distance of four or five leagues to the south-south-west. The Admiral was by this time extraordinarily anxious in scanning every ship in the fleet, and the whole horizon with the eye of an eagle. Suddenly I saw what I can only describe as a holy joy beam over his face. The _Zealous_ was signalling, and almost before the signalling began he cried out, "My God! it's the French." Sure enough it was the French. And as the signal blew out stiff on the north-west wind--"the French fleet, sixteen sail of the line"--a thrill of joy went through every soul in the ship, and, I can swear, in all the other ships. Men laughed and cried; their hearts were too full for them to cheer. There was but one thought in every breast, that the Lord had delivered the French into the hands of Gideon--Gideon, the little man with only one arm and one eye, and half a constitution, over whom I, the midshipman, standing by his side to take orders, towered.