in which troops were drawn up, four deep above the gun boats, which were also full of men.  I had myself beckoned to many around the guns close to us to move away, previous to giving the order to fire; and I believe they are within bounds, when they state their loss at seven thousand men.  Our old friend John Gaze was as steady as a rock; and it was a glorious sight to see the Charlotte take her anchorage, and to see her flag towering on high, when she appeared to be in the flames of the Mole itself; and never was a ship nearer burnt; it almost scorched me off the poop; we were obliged to haul in the ensign, or it would have caught fire.  Everybody behaved uncommonly well.  Admiral Milne came on board at two o’clock in the morning, and kissed my hand fifty times before the people, as did the Dutch Admiral, Von Capellan.  I was but slightly touched in the thigh, face, and fingers—­my glass cut in my hand, and the skirts of my coat torn off by a large shot; but as I bled a good deal, it looked as if I was badly hurt, and it was gratifying to see and hear how it was received even in the cockpit, which was then pretty full.  My thigh is not quite skinned over, but I am perfectly well, and hope to reach Portsmouth by the 10th of October.  Ferdinand has sent me a diamond star.  Wise behaved most nobly, and took up a line-of-battle ship’s station; but all behaved nobly.  I never saw such enthusiasm in all my service.  Not a wretch shrunk any where; and I assure you it was a very arduous task, but I had formed a very correct judgment of all I saw, and was confident, if supported, I should succeed.  I could not wait for an offshore wind to attack; the season was too far advanced, and the land-winds become light and calmy.  I was forced to attack at once with a lee-shore, or perhaps wait a week for a precarious wind along shore; and I was quite sure I should have a breeze off the land about one or two in the morning, and equally sure we could hold out to that time.  Blessed be God! it came, and a dreadful night with it, of thunder, lightning, and rain, as heavy as I ever saw.  Several ships had expended all their powder, and been supplied from the brigs.  I had latterly husbanded, and only fired when they fired on us; and we expended 350 barrels, and 5,420 shot, weighing above 65 tons of iron.  Such a state of ruin of fortifications and houses was never seen, and it is the opinion of all the consuls, that two hours more fire would have levelled the town; the walls are all so cracked.  Even the aqueducts were broken up, and the people famishing for water.  The sea-defences, to be made effective, must be rebuilt from the foundation.  The fire all round the Mole looked like Pandemonium.  I never saw anything so grand and so terrific, for I was not on velvet, for fear they would drive on board us.  The copper-bottoms floated full of fiery hot charcoal, and were red hot above the surface, so that we could not hook on our fire-grapnels to put the boats on, and could do nothing but push fire-booms,