into unpleasant contact upon several occasions in his later life.

There was no serious question as to the condemnation of the four last
seizures, the facts being clear and the principle settled;[10] but the
rage of the inhabitants of Nevis led them to seek revenge upon Nelson
for the injury they could no longer prevent. He had summoned the
masters of the ships on board the "Boreas," and, after satisfying
himself that the vessels were not entitled to British registers, had
sent marines to hold them, and to prevent essential witnesses from
leaving them, until the cases were tried. Upon these circumstances was
based an accusation of assault and imprisonment, the masters swearing
that they had made their statements under bodily fear. Writs were
issued against Nelson, damages being laid at four thousand pounds, a
sum which to him meant ruin. Although he asserted that there was
absolutely no truth in the charges, which are certainly in entire
contradiction to the general, if not invariable, tenor of his life and
conduct, he was advised by the Crown lawyers not to subject himself to
trial, as in the state of public feeling he could not expect a fair
verdict. To avoid arrest, he was forced to confine himself to the ship
for seven weeks, during which the marshal made several attempts to
serve the writ, but without success. On the day that the case of the
seized ships came up, he was able to be present in court only by the
safe conduct of the judge.

Two days after the seizure of the four vessels, Sir Richard Hughes,
who was making a tour of the station under his command, arrived at
Nevis; but he had no support to give his zealous lieutenant. "He did
not appear to be pleased with my conduct," wrote Nelson to Locker. "At
least he did not approve it, but told me I should get into a scrape.
Seven weeks I was kept a close prisoner to my ship; nor did I ever