24

20

were ordered to go round, and to keep astern and
under see of the Admiral : Stood off and on the land
making and shortning sail as requisite - At 9 there
was a Blue light burned and a night signal made
for General Quarters : in three minutes our hoist gun
was fired, and we went on firing broadsides in Co
with the Admiral, ship, firing in all 55 rounds -
10.30 finished and called the watch.

June 27th At 7.30 A signal from Flag Ship to prepare to
fire at a target, and a reprise and at the same time
for having hoisted the answering fired out at the fore instead
of the main - 9 another signal to get down Screw
and prepare for steaming. At 10 the target was out
when we commenced firing with shell, grape & ground
shot: the other vessels doing the same but there being a
good deal of sea on and the craft rolling [?] heavily
we could not get the guns to bear and consequently
made some very indifferent shots, some of the ships nearby
firing into each other : after that was over we were ordered
to fire at a target with musketry : at this fun we were
about an hour, when he made a signal for all ships to
wear in succession - It was no sooner dark than he
began night signals keeping us backing and filling
till ten.

June 28th All was very quiet till 9.30 a signal was
made to close, and as soon as we were all pretty well
abreast, our first manoeuvre was to reef topsails, and
then to shift foretopsail yard and sail, in all of which the
Express was first and was complemented for it by signal
from the Admiral : at 11.30 I thought all was finished for
the forenoon, when we were ordered to make sail, try