the life of horatio lord nelson-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ay　of　Honduras；　and　captured　some　register　ships　which　were　lying　under　its　guns。　Two　hundred　and　fifty　quintals　of　quicksilver　and　three　millions　of　piastres　were　the　reward　of　this　enterprise；　and　it　is　characteristic　of　Nelson　that　the　chance　by　which　he　missed　a　share　in　such　a　prize　is　never　mentioned　in　any　of　his　letters；　nor　is　it　likely　that　it　ever　excited　even　a　momentary　feeling　of　vexation。

Nelson　was　fortunate　in　possessing　good　interest　at　the　time　when　it　could　be　most　serviceable　to　him：　his　promotion　had　been　almost　as　rapid　as　it　could　be；　and　before　he　had　attained　the　age　of　twenty…one　he　had　gained　that　rank　which　brought　all　the　honours　of　the　service　within　his　reach。　No　opportunity；　indeed；　had　yet　been　given　him　of　distinguishing　himself；　but　he　was　thoroughly　master　of　his　profession；　and　his　zeal　and　ability　were　acknowledged　wherever　he　was　known。　Count　d'Estaing；　with　a　fleet　of　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　sail；　men　of　war　and　transports；　and　a　reputed　force　of　five…and　twenty　thousand　men；　threatened　Jamaica　from　St。　Domingo。　Nelson　offered　his　services　to　the　Admiral　and　to　Governor…General　Dalling；　and　was　appointed　to　command　the　batteries　of　Fort　Charles；　at　Port　Royal。　Not　more　than　seven　thousand　men　could　be　mustered　for　the　defence　of　the　island；a　number　wholly　inadequate　to　resist　the　force　which　threatened　them。　Of　this　Nelson　was　so　well　aware；　that　when　he　wrote　to　his　friends　in　England；　he　told　them　they　must　not　be　surprised　to　hear　of　his　learning　to　speak　French。　D'Estaing；　however；　was　either　not　aware　of　his　own　superiority；　or　not　equal　to　the　command　with　which　he　was　intrusted：　he　attempted　nothing　with　his　formidable　armament；　and　General　Dalling　was　thus　left　to　execute　a　project　which　he　had　formed　against　the　Spanish　colonies。

This　project　was；　to　take　Fort　San　Juan　on　the　river　of　that　name；　which　flows　from　Lake　Nicaragua　into　the　Atlantic；　make　himself　master　of　the　lake　itself；　and　of　the　cities　of　Granada　and　Leon；　and　thus　cut　off　the　communication　of　the　Spaniards　between　their　northern　and　southern　possessions　in　America。　Here　it　is　that　a　canal　between　the　two　seas　may　most　easily　be　formeda　work　more　　important　in　　its　consequences　than　any　which　has　ever　yet　been　effected　by　human　power。　Lord　George　Germaine；　at　that　time　secretary　of　state　for　the　American　Department；　approved　the　plan；　and　as　discontents　at　that　time　were　known　to　prevail　in　the　Nuevo　Reyno；　in　Popayan；　and　in　Peru；　the　more　sanguine　part　of　the　English　began　to　dream　of　acquiring　an　empire　in　one　part　of　America；　more　extensive　than　that　which　they　were　on　the　point　of　losing　in　another。　General　Dalling's　plans　were　well　formed；　but　the　history　and　the　nature　of　the　country　had　not　been　studied　as　accurately　as　its　geography：　the　difficulties　which　occurred　in　fitting　out　the　expedition　delayed　it　till　the　season　was　too　far　advanced；　and　the　men　were　thus　sent　to　adventure　themselves；　not　so　much　against　an　enemy；　whom　they　would　have　beaten；　as　against　a　climate　which　would　do　the　enemy's　work。

Early　in　the　year　1780；　five　hundred　men　destined　for　this　service　were　convoyed　by　Nelson　from　Port　Royal　to　Cape　Gracias　a　Dios；　in　Honduras。　Not　a　native　was　to　be　seen　when　they　landed：　they　had　been　taught　that　the　English　came　with　no　other　intent　than　that　of　enslaving　them；　and　sending　them　to　Jamaica。　After　a　while；　however；　one　of　them　ventured　down；　confiding　in　his　knowledge　of　one　of　the　party；　and　by　his　means　the　neighbouring　tribes　were　conciliated　with　presents；　and　brought　in。　The　troops　were　encamped　on　a　swampy　and　unwholesome　plain；　where　they　were　joined　by　a　party　of　the　79th　regiment　from　Black　River；　who　were　already　in　a　deplorable　state　of　sickness。　Having　remained　here　a　month；　they　proceeded；　anchoring　frequently；　along　the　Mosquito　shore；　to　collect　their　Indian　allies；　who　were　to　furnish　proper　boats　for　the　river；　and　to　accompany　them。　They　reached　the　river　San　Juan；　March　24th；　and　here；　according　to　his　orders；　Nelson's　services　were　to　terminate；　but　not　a　man　in　the　expedition　had　ever　been　up　the　river；　or　knew　the　distance　of　any　fortification　from　its　mouth；　and　he　not　being　one　who　would　turn　back　when　so　much　was　to　be　done；　resolved　to　carry　the　soldiers　up。　About　two　hundred；　therefore；　were　embarked　in　the　Mosquito　shore　craft　and　in　two　of　the　HINCHINBROOK's　boats；　and　they　began　their　voyage。　It　was　the　latter　end　of　the　dry　season；　the　worst　time　for　such　an　expedition；　the　river　was　consequently　low。　Indians　were　sent　forward　through　narrow　channels　between　shoals　and　sandbanks；　and　the　men　were　frequently　obliged　to　quit　the　boats　and　exert　their　utmost　strength　to　drag　or　thrust　them　along。　This　labour　continued　for　several　days；　when　they　came　into　deeper　water；　they　had　then　currents　and　rapids　to　contend　with；　which　would　have　been　insur…　mountable　but　for　the　skill　of　the　Indians　in　such　difficulties。　The　brunt　of　the　labour　was　borne　by　them　and　by　the　sailorsmen　never　accustomed　to　stand　aloof　when　any　exertion　of　strength　or　hardihood　is　required。　The　soldiers；　less　accustomed　to　rely　upon　themselves；　were　of　little　use。　But　all　equally　endured　the　violent　heat　of　the　sun；　rendered　more　intense　by　being　reflected　from　the　white　shoals；　while　the　high　woods；　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　were　frequently　so　close　as　to　prevent　any　refreshing　circulation　of　air；　and　during　the　night　all　were　equally　exposed　to　the　heavy　and　unwholesome　dews。

On　the　9th　of　April　they　reached　an　island　in　the　river；　called　San　Bartolomeo；　which　the　Spaniards　had　fortified；　as　an　outpost；　with　a　small　semicircular　battery；　mounting　nine　or　ten　swivels；　and　manned　with　sixteen　or　eighteen　men。　It　commanded　the　river　in　a　rapid　and　difficult　part　of　the　navigation。　Nelson；　at　the　head　of　a　few　of　his　seamen；　leaped　upon　the　beach。　The　ground　upon　which　he　sprung　was　so　muddy　that　he　had　some　difficulty　in　extricating　himself；　and　lost　his　shoes：　bare…footed；　however；　he　advanced；　and；　in　his　own　phrase；　BOARDED　THE　BATTERY。　In　this　resolute　attempt　he　was　bravely　supported　by　Despard；　at　that　time　a　captain　in　the　army；　afterward　unhappily　executed　for　his　schemes　of　revolutionary　treason。　The　castle　of　San　Tuan　is　situated　about　16　miles　higher　up；　the　stores　and　ammunition；　however；　were　landed　a　few　miles　below　the　castle；　and　the　men　had　to　march　through　woods　almost　impassable。　One　of　the　men　was　bitten　under　the　eye　by　a　snake　which　darted　upon　him　from　the　bough　of　a　tree。　He　was　unable　to　proceed　from　the　violence　of　the　pain；　and　when；　after　a　short　while；　some　of　his　comrades　were　sent　back　to　assist　him；　he　was　dead；　and　the　body　already　putrid。　Nelson　himself　narrowly　escaped　a　similar　fate。　He　had　ordered　his　hammock　to　be　slung　under　some　trees；　being　excessively　fatigued；　and　was　sleeping；　when　a　monitory　lizard　passed　across　his　face。　The　Indians　happily　observed　the　reptile；　and　knowing　what　it　indicated；　awoke　him。　He　started　up；　and　found　one　of　the　deadliest　serpents　of　the　country　coiled　up　at　his　feet。　He　suffered　from　poison　of　another　kind；　for　drinking　at　a　spring　in　which　some　boughs　of　the　manchineel　had　been　thrown；　the　effects　were　so　severe　as；　in　the　opinion　of　some　of　his　friends；　to　inflict　a　lasting　injury　upon　his　constitution。

The　castle　of　San　Juan　is　32　miles　below　the　point　where　the　river　issues　from　the　Lake　of　Nicaragua；　and　69　from　its　mouth。　Boats　reach　the　sea　from　thence　in　a　day　and　a…half；　but　their　navigation　back；　even　when　unladen；　is　the　labour　of　nine　days。　The　English　appeared　before　it　on　the　11th；　two　days　after　they　had　taken　San　Bartolomeo。　Nelson's　advice　was；　that　it　should　instantly　be　carried　by　assault；　but　Nelson　was　not　the　commander；　and　it　was　thought　proper　to　observe　all　the　formalities　of　a　siege。　Ten　days　were　wasted　before　this　could　be　commenced。　It　was　a　work　more　of　fatigue　than　of　danger；　but　fatigue　was　more　to　be　dreaded　than　the　enemy；　the　rains　set　in；　and　could　the　garrison　have　held　out　a　little　longer；　diseases　would　have　rid　them　of　their　invaders。　Even　the　Indians　sunk　under　it；　the　victims　of　unusual　exertion；　and　of　their　own　excesses。　The　place　surrendered　on　the　24th。　But　victory　procured　to　the　conquerors　none　of　that　relief　which　had　been　expected；　the　castle　was　worse　than　a　prison；　and　it　contained　nothing　which　could　contribute　to　the　recovery　of　the　sick；　or　the　preservation　of　those　who　were　yet　unaffected。　The　huts　which　served　for　hospitals　were　surrounded　with　filth；　and　with　the　putrefying　hides　of　slaughtered　cattlealmost　sufficient　of　themselves　to　have　engendered　pestilence；　and　when　at　last　orders　were　given　to　erect　a　convenient　hospital；　the　contagion　had　become　so　general　that　there　were　none　who　could　work　at　it；　for　besides　the　few　who　were　able　to　perform　garrison　duty；　there　were　not　orderly　men　enough　to　assist　the　sick。　Added　to　these　evils；　there　was　the　want　of　all　needful　remedies；　for　though　the　expedition　had　been　amply　provided　with　hospital　stores；　river　craft　enough　had　not　been　procured　for　transporting　the　requisite　baggage；　and　when　much　was　to　be　left　behind；　provision　for　sickness　was　that　which　of　all　things　men　in　health　would　be　most　re