In compliance with the request of the Governor of Larache, His
Majesty's hired armed ship the Lord Eldon was ordered by Lord
Collingwood to convey me to this place. She arrived at Larache about a
week after I wrote last. The bar unfortunately proved so bad, that she
was obliged to drop her anchor on the outside; and the Captain,
conceiving it an unsafe anchorage, pressed me to repair on board
without delay, which I did, after taking a long farewell of my noble
friend the Governor, who, with tears in his eyes, embraced me, and
otherwise evinced his infinite regret and true friendship.
We embarked all my horses, mules, &c. &c. without any accident, and
immediately after set sail for Tangiers. I cannot find words to
describe the interesting, curious, and romantic appearance of the
Barbary coast, from Larache to Tangiers, when viewed from the sea. I
took my station on the quarter-deck, and, as we sailed close in shore,
my curiosity was fully gratified. There are several small bays and
creeks along this coast, which unfortunately afford shelter to the
enemy's privateers, where, in perfect security, they remain concealed,
watching an opportunity to come out and seize any of our straggling
vessels that have either separated from, or are waiting for convoy to
enter the Straits.
It is a great pity that the number of our gun-boats at this port
(Gibraltar) is so limited, as a larger number of them, and a few other
small vessels kept in readiness here, and well appointed, would
protect our commerce, and prevent our suffering so much from the
Spanish boats, and several small French cruizers, which infest this
part of the world, and almost daily capture some of our merchantmen,
which they carry into Algesiras in sight of this garrison.
APPENDIX.
No. I.
Copy of a Letter from JOHN TURNBULL, Esquire, Chairman to the Board of
Trade, to E. COOKE, Esquire, Under Secretary of State, &c. &c. &c.
SIR,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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