The Life of Major J.G. Semple Lisle, Written by Himself (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1799. Excerpt: ... served samples. Those used for furniture and ship-building are very hard and durable; and the opinion of the best informed Portuguese is, that without arrogating any superiority of valour and seamanship to their sailors, no British ship could cope with one of theirs of equal force, owing to the superior strength of the timber; in this opinion I, however, do not coincide with them. On or about the ist of June we failed from Brazil with a convoy of one hundred and fifteen fail, most of them very large ships; and after a tedious passage, during which nothing material occurred, we reached the river Tagus on the 9th September, 1798. On entering the harbour, and before I disembarked, an opportunity offering, I dispatched a second letter to the Duke of Portland, recapitulating what I had before written, concerning the mutiny, and mentioning my intention of awaiting his Grace's commands at Lisbon.. _" 1 ' CHAP. XXIV. Ybe author arrives at Lisbon, writes to the Ministers, and offers to surrender himself.--Is arrested.--Applies to the Conful-General for Madeira, who can attain no satisfactory answer from the Intendant of Police.--He learns at length that his confinement is owing to the quarrels in Brazil--Is suddenly removed at midnight to a house at Belem.--Is Jens on board a Jhip.--Some account of the city of Lisbon, and of the manners of the Portuguese.--The Portuguese army miserably bad.--The author fails for Gibraltar.--Unable to reach that port, they make Tangier.--. With a Lieutenant and some of the people of the Dorothea, the aut&c gains Gibraltar.--The narrow escape of Captain Grey and his lady. The moment I arrived in the Tagus, I wrote to the British Minister at Lisbon, apprising him of my arrival, and that I was come with the intention of surrende...