Bastia, as he saw it and reported to Lord Hood, was a walled town with central citadel, of some ten thousand inhabitants, on the east coast of Corsica, and twenty miles south of Cape Corso, the northern extremity of the island.  The main fortifications were along the sea-front; but there was, besides, a series of detached works on either flank and to the rear.  The latter not only guarded the approaches from the interior, but also, being situated on the hills, much above the town, were capable of commanding it, in case of an enemy gaining possession.  Nelson, while modestly disclaiming any presumptuous dependence upon his own judgment, expressed a decided opinion, based upon the engagement of the 23d, that the “Agamemnon” and the frigates could silence the fire of the sea-front, batter down the walls, and that then five hundred troops could carry the place by assault.  “That the works on the hills would annoy the town afterwards is certain, but the enemy being cut off from all supplies—­the provisions in the town being of course in our possession—­would think of nothing but making the best terms they could for themselves.”  To his dismay, however, and to the extreme annoyance of the admiral, General Dundas, commanding the army, refused to move against Bastia, condemning the attempt as visionary and rash.  Meantime the French, unmolested except by the desultory efforts of the insurgent Corsicans, were each day strengthening their works, and converting the possibilities Nelson saw into the impossibilities of the cautious general.

Hood on the 25th of February came round from San Fiorenzo to Bastia; but he purposely brought with him no captain senior to Nelson, in order that the latter might remain in charge of the operations he had begun so well.  When Dundas retreated again to San Fiorenzo, Hood on the 3d of March followed him there with the flagship, to urge his co-operation; leaving Nelson with six frigates to conduct the blockade and take such other steps as the opportunities might justify.  By the middle of March, nearly three months having elapsed since her last hasty visit to Leghorn, the “Agamemnon” was wholly destitute of supplies.  “We are really,” wrote Nelson to Hood, “without firing, wine, beef, pork, flour, and almost without water:  not a rope, canvas, twine, or nail in the ship.  The ship is so light she cannot hold her side to the wind....  We are certainly in a bad plight at present, not a man has slept dry for many months.  Yet,” he continues, with that indomitable energy which made light of mere difficulties of material, and conveys so impressive a lesson to our modern days, when slight physical defects appear insurmountable, and ships not wholly up to date are counted obsolete,—­“yet if your Lordship wishes me to remain off Bastia, I can, by going to Porto Ferrajo, get water and stores, and twenty-four hours in Leghorn will give us provisions; and our refitting, which will take some time, can be put off a little.  My wish is to be present at the attack of Bastia.”