''The Tight Ship and Her Merry Hearts'' A Seaman Remembers Nelson's Battle of the Nile by John Nicol The Life and Adventures of John Nicol, Mariner was published by John Howell in 1822. Howell, a rare publisher blessed with the instincts of curiosity and compassion, took down Nicol's tale after "the old man had been pointed out to me as a most interesting character.... He was walking feebly along, with an old apron tied around his waist, in which he carried a few very small pieces of coal he had picked up in his wanderings through the streets." After talking with him, Howell was astonished at "the spirit that awoke in the old Tar, " and fortunately for us, transcribed his tale, a classic of sea literature. Rediscovered by the noted historian Alexander Laing, it was republished in 1936 with drawings by Gordon Grant. Nicol catches lower deck life with remarkable fidelity and realism. We might be appalled at the conditions he and his messmates lived under. He was not appalled. Three years before his death at age 70 in 1825, John Nicol addressed these words to those who would read his tale of seafaring in the merchant and naval services in the days of Nelson: "Old as I am, my heart is still unchanged, and were I young and stout as I have been, again would I sail upon discovery: but, weak and stiff, I can only send my prayers with the tight ship and her merry hearts." While we lay at Lisbon we got private intelligence overland that the Spanish fleet was at sea. We with all dispatch set sail in pursuit of them . We were so fortunate as come in sight of them by break of day, on the 14th of February , off Cape St. Vincent. They consisted of twenty-five sail , mostly three-deckers. We were only eighteen; but we were English , and we gave them their Valentines in style. Soon as we came in sight , a bustle commenced, not to be conceived or described. To do it justice, while every man was as busy as he could be, the greatest order prevailed. A serious cast was to be perceived on every face; but not a shade of doubt or fear. We rejoiced in a general action ; not that we loved fighting ; but we all wished to be free to return to our homes , and follow our own pursuits. We knew there was no other way of obtaining this than by defeating the enemy. ''The hotter war the sooner peace ,'' was a saying with us. When every thing was cleared , the ports open, the matches lighted, and guns run out, then we gave them three such cheers as are only to be heard in a British man-of-war. This intimidates the enemy more than a broadside , as they have often declared to me. It shows them all is right ; and the men in the true spirit baying to be at them . During the action , my situation was not one of danger, but most wounding to my feelings , and trying to my patience. I was stationed in the after magazine, serving powder from the screen , and could see nothing ; but I could feel every shot that struck the Goliah ; and the cries and groans of the wounded were most distressing, as there was only the thickness of the blankets of the screen between me and them . Busy as I was , the time hung upon me with a dreary weight. Not a soul spoke to me but the masterat-arms , as he went his rounds to inquire if all was safe. No sick person ever longed more for his physician thant I for the voice of the master-at-arms. The surgeon's-mate, at the commencement of the action , spoke a little; but his hands were soon too full of his own affairs . Those who were carrying run like wild creatures , and scarce opened their lips. I would far rather have been on the decks , amjd the bustle, for there the time flew on eagle's wings. The Goliah was sore beset; for some time she had two three-deckers upon her. the men stood to their guns as cool as if they had been exercising. The Admiral ordered the Britannia to 44
our assistance . Iron-sides. , with her forty-twos, soon made them sheer off.* Towards the close of the action, the men were very weary. One lad put his head out of the port-hole, saying, "D-n them , are they not going to strike yet? " For us to strike was out of the .question. At length the roar of the guns ceased , and I came on deck to see the effects of a great sea engagement; but such a scene of blood and desolation I want words to express. I had been in a great number of actions with single ships in the Proteus and Surprise, during the seven years I was in them . This was my first action in a fleet , and I had only a small share in it. We had destroyed a great number, and secured four three-deckers. One , they had the impiety to call the Holy Ghost , we wished much to get; but they towed her off. The fleet was in such a shattered situation, we lay twenty-four hours in sight of them, repairing our rigging. It is after the action the disagreeable part commences; the crews are wrought to the utmost of their strength; for days they have no remission of their toil; repairing the rigging , and other parts injured in the action; their spirits are broke by fatigue: they have no leisure fo talk of the battle; and , when the usual round of duty returns , we do not choose to revert to a disagreeable subject. Who can speak of what he did , where all did their utmost? One of my mess-mates had the heel of his shoe shot off; the skin was not broke, yet his leg swelled and became black. He was lame for a long time. On our return to Lisbon we lost one of the fleet , the Bombay Castle. She was stranded , and completely lost. All her crew were saved. We were in great danger in the Goliah; Captain Sir C. H. Knowles was tried for not lending assistance, when he needed it himself. The court-martial honourably acquitted him. Collis, our first lieutenant, told us not to cheer when he came on board ; but we loved our captain too well to be restrained. We had agreed upon a signal with the coxswain, if he was, as he ought to be, honourably acquitted . The signal was given , and in vain Collis forbade . We manned the yards , and gave three hearty cheers . Not a man on board but would have bled for Sir C.H. Knowles. To our regret we lost him to our ship at this very time. He was as good a captain as I ever sailed with. He was made admiral , and went home in the Britannia. Captain Foley took command of the Goliah, and we joined the blockade of Cadiz, where we remained, sending our boat to assist at the bombardments, and covering them until Admiral Nelson came out again, and picked out thirteen seventy-fours from the fleet ; the Goliah was one. She was the fastest sailing ship in the fleet. We did not stay to water; but got a supply from the ships that were to remain , and away we set under a press of sail , not knowing where. We came to an anchor in the straits of Messina. There was an American man-of-war at anchor; Captain Foley ordered him to unmoor, that the Goliah might get her station , as it was a good one, near the shore; but Jonathan would not budge , but made answer , "I will let you to know I belong to the United States of America, and will not give way to any nation under the sun, but in a good cause." So we came to an anchor where we could. We remained here but a short time, when we got intelligence that the French fleet were up the Straits. We then made sail for Egypt , but missed them , and came back to Syracuse, and watered in twenty-four hours. I was up all night filling water. The day after we left Syracuse we fell in with a French brig , who had just left the fleet . Admiral Nelson took her *The Britannia is a first-rate , carrying I I 0 guns. She was the onlyship that carried 42 pounders on her lower deck, and 32 o n he r middle deck. She was the strongest built ship in the navy ; the sailors upon this acco unt called her " Iron-Sides. "
SEA HISlDRY, SPRING 1983