reluctantly parted with him. His professional merit was already well
known; and Lord Hood, on introducing him to Prince William Henry, as the
Duke of Clarence was then called, told the prince, if he wished to ask
any questions respecting naval tactics, Captain Nelson could give him as
much information as any officer in the fleet. The Duke--who, to his own
honour, became from that time the firm friend of Nelson--describes him
as appearing the merest boy of a captain he had ever seen, dressed in a
full laced uniform, an old-fashioned waistcoat with long flaps, and
his lank unpowdered hair tied in a stiff Hessian tail of extraordinary
length; making altogether so remarkable a figure, that, says the duke,
"I had never seen anything like it before, nor could I imagine who
he was, nor what he came about. But his address and conversation were
irresistibly pleasing; and when he spoke on professional subjects, it
was with an enthusiasm that showed he was no common being."

It was expected that the French would attempt some of the passages
between the Bahamas; and Lord Hood, thinking of this, said to Nelson, "I
suppose, sir, from the length of time you were cruising among the Bahama
Keys, you must be a good pilot there." He replied, with that constant
readiness to render justice to every man which was so conspicuous in all
his conduct through life, that he was well acquainted with them himself,
but that in that respect his second lieutenant was far his superior. The
French got into Puerto Cabello, on the coast of Venezuela. Nelson was
cruising between that port and La Guapra, under French colours, for the
purpose of obtaining information; when a king's launch, belonging to
the Spaniards, passed near, and being hailed in French, came alongside
without suspicion, and answered all questions that were asked concerning
the number and force of the enemy's ships. The crew, however, were not
a little surprised when they were taken on board and found themselves
prisoners. One of the party went by the name of the Count de Deux-Ponts.