second ahead and astern. Nelson, certain of a triumphant issue to the

day, asked Blackwood what he should consider as a victory. That officer
answered, that, considering the handsome way in which battle was offered

by the enemy, their apparentdetermination for a fair trial of strength,
and the situation of the land, he thought it would be a glorious result

if fourteen were captured. He replied: "I shall not be satisfied with
less than twenty." Soon afterwards he asked him if he did not think there

was a signal wanting. Captain Blackwood made answer, that he thought the
whole fleet seemed very clearly to understand what they were about.

These words were scarcely spoken before that signal was made, which will
be remembered as long as the language, or even the memory, of England

shall endure; Nelson's last signal:--"ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO
HIS DUTY!" It was received throughout the fleet with a shout of

answering acclamation, made sublime by the spirit which it breathed, and
the feeling which it expressed. "Now," said Lord Nelson, "I can do no

more. We must trust to the great Disposer of all events, and the justice
of our cause. I thank God for this great opportunity of doing my duty."

He wore that day, as usual, his admiral's frock-coat, bearing on the
left breast four stars, of the different orders with which he was

invested. Ornaments which rendered him so conspicuous a mark for the
enemy were beheld with ominous apprehensions by his officers. It was

known that there were riflemen on board the French ships, and it could
not be doubted but that his life would be particularly aimed at. They

communicated their fears to each other; and the surgeon, Mr. Beatty,
spoke to the chaplain Dr. Scott, and to Mr. Scott the public secretary,

desiring that some person would entreat him to change his dress, or
cover the stars; but they knew that such a request would highly

displease him. "In honour I gained them," he had said when such a thing
had been hinted to him formerly, "and in honour I will die with them."

Mr. Beatty, however, would not have been deterred by any fear of
exciting his displeasure from speaking to him himself upon a subject in

which the weal of England, as well as the life of Nelson, was concerned;
but he was ordered from the deck before he could find an opportunity.

This was a point upon which Nelson's officers knew that it was hopeless
to remonstrate or reason with him; but both Blackwood, and his own

captain, Hardy, represented to him how advantageous to the fleet it
would be for him to keep out of action as long as possible; and he

consented at last to let the LEVIATHAN and the TEMERAIRE, which were
sailing abreast of the VICTORY, be ordered to pass ahead. Yet even here

the last infirmity of this noble mind was indulged, for these ships
could not pass ahead if the VICTORY continued to carry all her sail; and

so far was Nelson from shortening sail, that it was evident he took
pleasure in pressing on, and rendering it impossible for them to obey

his own orders. A long swell was setting into the bay of Cadiz: our
ships, crowding all sail, moved majestically before it, with light winds

from the south-west. The sun shone on the sails of the enemy; and their
well-formed line, with their numerous three-deckers, made an appearance

which any other assailants would have thought formidable; but the
British sailors only admired the beauty and the splendour of the

spectacle; and in full confidence of winning what they saw, remarked to
each other what a fine sight yonder ships would make at Spithead!

The French admiral, from the BUCENTAURE, beheld the new manner in
which his enemy was advancing--Nelson and Collingwood each leading his

line; and pointing them out; to his officers, he is said to have
exclaimed that such conduct could not fail to be successful. Yet

Villeneuve had made his own dispositions with the utmost skill and the
fleets under his command waited for the attack with perfect coolness.

Ten minutes before twelve they opened their fire. Eight or nine of the
ships immediately ahead of the VICTORY, and across her bows, fired

single guns at her, to ascertain whether she was yet within their range.
As soon as Nelson perceived that their shot passed over him, he desired

Blackwood and Captain Prowse, of the SIRIUS, to repair to their
respective frigates; and, on their way, to tell all the captains of the

line-of-battle ships that he depended on their exertions; and that if,
by the prescribed mode of attack, they found it impracticable to get

into action immediately, they might adopt whatever they thought best,
provided it led them quickly and closely alongside an enemy. As they

were standing on the front of the poop, Blackwood took him by the hand,
saying, he hoped soon to return and find him in possession of twenty

prizes. He replied, "God bless you, Blackwood; I shall never see you
again."

Nelson's column was steered about two points more to the north than
Collingwood's, in order to cut off the enemy's escape into Cadiz: the

lee line, therefore, was first engaged. "See," cried Nelson, pointing
to the ROYAL SOVEREIGN, as she steered right for the centre of the

enemy's line, cut through it astern of the SANTA ANNA three-decker, and
engaged her at the muzzle of her guns on the starboard side--"see how

that noble fellow, Collingwood, carries his ship into action!"
Collingwood, delighted at being first in the heat of the fire, and

knowing the feelings of his commander and old friend, turned to his
captain, and exclaimed: "Rotherham, what would Nelson give to be here?"

Both these brave officers, perhaps, at this moment, thought of Nelson
with gratitude, for a circumstance which had occurred on the preceding

day. Admiral Collingwood, with some of the captains, having gone on
board the VICTORY to receive instructions, Nelson inquired of him where

his captain was and was told, in reply, that they were not upon good
terms with each other. "Terms!" said Nelson,--"good terms with each

other!" Immediately he sent a boat for Captain Rotherham; led him, as
soon as he arrived, to Collingwood; and saying,"Look; yonder are the

enemy!" bade them shake hands like Englishmen.
The enemy continued to fire a gun at a time at the VICTORY, till they

saw that a shot had passed through her main-top-gallant sail; then they
opened their broadsides, aiming chiefly at her rigging, in the hope of

disabling her before she could close with them. Nelson, as usual, had
hoisted several flags, lest one should be shot away. The enemy showed no

colours till late in the action, when they began to feel the necessity
of having them to strike. For this reason, the SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD,

Nelson's old acquaintance, as he used to call her, was distinguishable
only by her four decks; and to the bow of this opponent he ordered the

VICTORY to be steered. Meantime an incessant raking fire was kept up
upon the VICTORY. The admiral's secretary was one of the first who fell;

he was killed by a cannon-shot while conversing with Hardy. Captain
Adair of the marines, with the help of a sailor, endeavoured to remove

the body from Nelson's sight, who had a great regard for Mr. Scott; but
he anxiously asked: "Is that poor Scott that's gone?" and being informed

that was indeed so, exclaimed: "Poor fellow!" Presently, a double-headed
shot struck a party of marines who were drawn up on the poop, and killed

eight of them; upon which Nelson immediately desired Captain Adair to
disperse his men round the ship, that they might not suffer so much from

being together. A few minutes afterwards a shot struck the four-brace
bits on the quarter-deck, and passed between Nelson and Hardy, a

splinter from the bit tearing off Hardy's buckle, and bruising his foot.
Both stopped, and looked anxiously at each other, each supposed the

other to be wounded. Nelson then smiled, and said, "This is too warm
work, Hardy, to last long."

The VICTORY had not yet returned a single gun: fifty of her men had
been by this time killed or wounded, and her main-top-mast, with all her

studding-sails and her booms, shot away. Nelson declared, that, in all
his battles, he had seen nothing which surpassed the cool courage of

his crew on this occasion. At four minutes after twelve she opened her
fire from both sides of her deck. It was not possible to break the

enemy's line without running on board one of their ships: Hardy informed
him of this, and asked him which he would prefer. Nelson replied: "Take

your choice, Hardy, it does not signify much." The master was ordered to
put the helm to port, and the VICTORY ran on board the REDOUTABLE, just

as her tiller ropes were shot away. The French ship received her with a
broadside; then instantly let down her lower-deck ports, for fear of

being bearded through them, and never afterwards fired a great gun
during the action. Her tops, like those of all the enemy's ships, were

filled with riflemen. Nelson never placed musketry in his tops; he had a
strong dislike to the practice; not merely because it endangers setting