the life of horatio lord nelson-第16章

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e　sailed　from　Porto　Ferrajo　with　a　convoy　for　Gibraltar；　and　having　reached　that　place；　proceeded　to　the　westward　in　search　of　the　admiral。　Off　the　mouth　of　the　Straits　he　fell　in　with　the　Spanish　fleet；　and　on　the　13th　of　February　reaching　the　station　off　Cape　St。　Vincent；　communicated　this　intelligence　to　Sir　John　Jervis。　He　was　now　directed　to　shift　his　broad　pendant　on　board　the　CAPTAIN；　seventy…four；　Captain　R。W。　Miller；　and　before　sunset　the　signal　was　made　to　prepare　for　action；　and　to　keep；　during　the　night；　in　close　order。　At　daybreak　the　enemy　were　in　sight。　The　British　force　consisted　of　two　ships　of　one　hundred　guns；　two　of　　ninety…eight；　two　of　ninety；　eight　of　seventy…　four；　and　one　sixty…four；…fifteen　of　the　line　in　all；　with　four　frigates；　a　sloop；　and　a　cutter。　The　Spaniards　had　one　four…decker；　of　one　hundred　and　thirty…six　guns；　six　three…deckers；　of　one　　hundred　and　twelve；　two　eighty…four；　eighteen　seventy…fourin　all；　twenty…seven　ships　of　the　line；　with　ten　frigates　and　a　brig。　Their　admiral；　D。　Joseph　de　Cordova；　had　learnt　from　an　American　on　the　5th；　that　the　English　had　only　nine　ships；　which　was　indeed　the　case　when　his　informer　had　seen　them；　for　a　reinforcement　of　five　ships　from　England；　under　Admiral　Parker；　had　not　then　joined；　and　the　CULLODEN　had　parted　company。　Upon　this　information　the　Spanish　commander；　instead　of　going　into　Cadiz；　as　was　his　intention　when　he　sailed　from　Carthagena；　deter…　mined　to　seek　an　enemy　so　inferior　in　force；　and　relying；　with　fatal　confidence；　upon　the　American　account；　he　suffered　his　ships　to　remain　too　far　dispersed；　and　in　some　disorder。　When　the　morning　of　the　14th　broke；　and　discovered　the　English　fleet；　a　fog　for　some　time　concealed　their　number。　That　fleet　had　heard　their　signal…guns　during　the　night；　the　weather　being　fine　though　thick　and　hazy；　soon　after　daylight　they　were　seen　very　much　scattered；　while　the　British　ships　were　in　a　compact　little　body。　The　look…out　ship　of　the　Spaniards；　fancying　that　her　signal　was　disregarded　because　so　little　notice　seemed　to　be　taken　of　it；　made　another　signal；　that　the　English　force　consisted　of　forty　sail　of　the　line。　The　captain　afterwards　said　he　did　this　to　rouse　the　admiral；　it　had　the　effect　of　perplexing　him　and　alarming　the　whole　fleet。　The　absurdity　of　such　an　act　shows　what　was　the　state　of　the　Spanish　navy　under　that　miserable　government　by　which　Spain　was　so　long　oppressed　and　degraded；　and　finally　betrayed。　In　reality；　the　general　incapacity　of　the　naval　officers　was　so　well　known；　that　in　a　pas…　quinade；　which　about　this　time　appeared　at　Madrid；　wherein　the　different　orders　of　the　state　were　advertised　for　sale；　the　greater　part　of　the　sea…officers；　with　all　their　equipments；　were　offered　as　a　gift；　and　it　was　added；　that　any　person　who　would　please　to　take　them；　should　receive　a　handsome　gratuity。　When　the　probability　that　Spain　would　take　part　in　the　war；　as　an　ally　of　France；　was　first　contemplated；　Nelson　said　that　their　fleet；　if　it　were　no　better　than　when　it　acted　in　alliance　with　us；　would　〃soon　be　done　for。〃

Before　the　enemy　could　form　a　regular　order　of　battle；　Sir　J。　Jervis；　by　carrying　a　press　of　sail；　came　up　with　them；　passed　through　their　fleet；　then　tacked；　and　thus　cut　off　nine　of　their　ships　from　the　main　body。　These　ships　attempted　to　form　on　the　larboard　tack；　either　with　a　design　of　passing　through　the　British　line；　or　to　leeward　of　it；　and　thus　rejoining　their　friends。　Only　one　of　them　succeeded　in　this　attempt；　and　that　only　because　she　was　so　covered　with　smoke　that　her　intention　was　not　discovered　till　she　had　reached　the　rear：　the　others　were　so　warmly　received；　that　they　put　about；　took　to　flight；　and　did　not　appear　again　in　the　action　to　its　close。　The　admiral　was　now　able　to　direct　his　attention　to　the　enemy's　main　body；　which　was　still　superior　in　number　to　his　whole　fleet；　and　greatly　so　in　weight　of　metal。　He　made　signal　to　tack　in　succession。　Nelson；　whose　station　was　in　the　rear　of　the　British　line；　perceived　that　the　Spaniards　were　bearing　up　before　the　wind；　with　an　intention　of　forming　their　line；　going　large；　and　joining　their　separated　ships；　or　else　of　getting　off　without　an　engagement。　To　prevent　either　of　these　schemes；　he　disobeyed　the　signal　without　a　moment's　hesitation：　and　ordered　his　ship　to　be　wore。　This　at　once　brought　him　into　action　with　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD；　one　hundred　and　thirty…six；　the　SAN　JOSEPH；　one　hundred　and　twelve；　the　　SALVADOR　DEL　MUNDO；　one　hundred　and　twelve；　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　eighty；　the　　SAN　ISIDRO；　seventy…four；　another　seventy…four；　and　another　first…rate。　Troubridge；　in　the　CULLODEN；　immediately　joined；　and　most　nobly　supported　him；　and　for　nearly　an　hour　did　the　CULLODEN　and　CAPTAIN　maintain　what　Nelson　called　〃this　apparently；　but　not　really　unequal　contest；〃such　was　the　advantage　of　skill　and　discipline；　and　the　confidence　which　brave　men　derive　from　them。　The　BLENHEIM　then　passing　between　them　and　the　enemy；　gave　them　a　respite；　and　poured　in　her　fire　upon　the　Spaniards。　The　SALVADOR　DEL　MUNDO　and　SAN　ISIDRO　dropped　astern；　and　were　fired　into　in　a　masterly　style　by　the　EXCELLENT；　Captain　Collingwood。　The　SAN　ISIDRO　struck；　and　Nelson　thought　that　the　SALVADOR　struck　also。　〃But　Collingwood；〃　says　he；　〃disdaining　the　parade　of　taking　possession　of　beaten　enemies；　most　gallantly　pushed　up；　with　every　sail　set；　to　save　his　old　friend　and　messmate；　who　was　to　appearance　in　a　critical　situation；〃　for　the　CAPTAIN　was　at　this　time　actually　fired　upon　by　three　first…ratesby　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　and　by　a　seventy…four；　within　about　pistol…shot　of　that　vessel。　The　BLENHEIM　was　ahead；　the　CULLODEN　crippled　and　astern。　Collingwood　ranged　up；　and　hauling　up　his　mainsail　just　astern；　passed　within　ten　feet　of　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　giving　her　a　most　tremendous　fire；　then　passed　on　for　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD。　The　SAN　NICOLAS　luffing　up；　the　SAN　JOSEPH　fell　on　board　her；　and　Nelson　resumed　his　station　abreast　of　them；　and　close　alongside。　The　CAPTAIN　was　now　incapable　of　further　service；　either　in　the　line　or　in　chase：　she　had　lost　her　foretop…mast；　not　a　sail；　shroud；　or　rope　was　left；　and　her　wheel　was　shot　away。　Nelson　therefore　directed　Captain　Miller　to　put　the　helm　a…starboard；　and　calling　for　the　boarders；　ordered　them　to　board。

Captain　Berry；　who　had　lately　been　Nelson's　first　lieutenant；　was　the　first　man　who　leaped　into　the　enemy's　mizen　chains。　Miller；　when　in　the　very　act　of　going；　was　ordered　by　Nelson　to　remain。　Berry　was　supported　from　the　spritsail…yard；　which　locked　in　the　SAN　NICOLAS's　main　rigging。　A　soldier　of　the　69th　broke　the　upper　quarter…gallery　window；　and　jumped　in；　followed　by　the　commodore　himself　and　by　the　others　as　fast　as　possible。　The　cabin　doors　were　fastened；　and　the　Spanish　officers　fired　their　pistols　at　them　through　the　window；　the　doors　were　soon　forced；　and　the　Spanish　brigadier　fell　while　retreating　to　the　quarter…deck。　Nelson　pushed　on；　and　found　Berry　in　possession　of　the　poop；　and　the　Spanish　ensign　hauling　down。　He　passed　on　to　the　forecastle；　where　he　met　two　or　three　Spanish　officers；　and　received　their　swords。　The　English　were　now　in　full　possession　of　every　part　of　the　ship；　when　a　fire　of　pistols　and　musketry　opened　upon　them　from　the　admiral's　stern…　gallery　of　the　SAN　JOSEPH。　Nelson　having　placed　sentinels　at　the　different　ladders；　and　ordered　Captain　Miller　to　send　more　men　into　the　prize；　gave　orders　for　boarding　that　ship　from　the　SAN　NICOLAS。　It　was　done　in　an　instant；　he　himself　leading　the　way。　and　exclaiming；　〃Westminster　Abbey　or　victory！〃　Berry　assisted　him　into　the　main　chains；　and　at　that　moment　a　Spanish　officer　looked　over　the　quarter…deck　rail；　and　said　they　surrendered。　It　was　not　long　before　he　was　on　the　quarter…　deck；　where　the　Spanish　captain　presented　to　him　his　sword；　and　told　him　the　admiral　was　below　dying　of　his　wounds。　There；　on　the　quarter…deck　of　an　enemy's　first…rate；　he　received　the　swords　of　the　officers；　giving　them；　as　they　were　delivered；　one　by　one　to　William　Fearney；　one　of　his　old　AGAMEMNONs；　who；　with　the　utmost　coolness；　put　them　under　his　arm；　〃bundling　them　up；〃　in　the　lively　expression　of　Collingwood；　〃with　as　much　composure　as　he　would　have　made　a　faggot；　though　twenty…two　sail　of　their　line　were　still　within　gunshot。〃　One　of　his　sailors　came　up；　and　with　an　Englishman's　feeling　took　him　by　the　hand；　saying　he　might　not　soon　have　such　another　place　to　do　it　in；　and　he　was　heartily　glad　to　see　him　there。　Twenty…four　of　the　CAPTAIN's　men　were　killed；　and　fifty…　six　wounded；　a　fourth　part　of　the　loss　sustained　by　the　whole　squadron　falling　upon　this　ship。　Nelson　received　only　a　few　bruises。

The　Spaniards　had　still　eighteen　or　nineteen　ships　which　had　suffered　little　or　no　injury：　that　part　of　the　fleet　which　had　been　separated　from　the　main　body　in　the　morning　was　now　coming　up；　and　Sir　John　Jervis　made　signal　to　bring　to。　His　ships　could　not　have　formed　without　abandoning　those　which　they　had　captured；　and　running　to　leeward：　the　CAPTAIN　was　lying　a　perfect　wreck　on　board　her　two　prizes；　and　many　of　the　other　vessels　were　so　shattered　in　their　masts　and　rigging　as　to　be　wholly　unmanageable。　The　Spanish　admiral　meantime；　according　to　his　official　account；　being　altogether　undecided　in　his　own　opinion　respecting　the　state　of　the　fleet；　inquired　of　his　captains　whether　it　was　proper　to　renew　the　action；　nine　of　them　answered　explicitly　that　it　was　not；　others　replied　that　it　was　expedient　to　delay　the　business。　The　PELAYO　and　the　PRINCE　CONQUISTADOR　were　the　only　ships　that　were　for　fighting。

As　soon　as　the　action　was　discontinued；　Nelson　went　on　board　the　admiral's　ship。　Sir　John　Jervis　received　him　on　the　quarter…deck；　took　him　in　his　arms；　and　said　he　could　not　sufficiently　thank　him。　For　this　victory　the　commander…in…chief　was　rewarded　with　the　title　of　Earl　St。　Vincent。　Nelson；　who　before　the　action　was　known　in　England　had　been　advanced　to　the　rank　of　rear…admiral；　had　the　Order　of　the　Bath　given　him。　The　sword　of　the　Spanish　rear…admiral；　which　Sir　John　Jervis　insisted　upon　his　keeping；　he　presented　to　the　Mayor　and　Corporation　of　Norwich；　saying　that　he　knew　no　place　where　it　could　give　him　or　his　family　more　pleasure　to　have　it　kept　than　in　the　capital　city　of　the　county　where　he　was　born。　The　freedom　of　that　city　was　voted　him　on　this　occasion。　But　of　all　the　numerous　congratulations　which　he　received；　none　could　have　affected　him　with　deeper　delight　than　that　which　came　from　his　venerable　father。　〃I　thank　my　God；〃　said　this　excellent　man；　〃with　all　the　power　of　a　grateful　soul；　for　the　mercies　he　has　most　graciously　bestowed　on　me　in　preserving　you。　Not　only　my　few　acquaintance　here；　but　the　people　in　general；　met　me　at　every　corner　with　such　handsome　words；　that　I　was　obliged　to　retire　from　the　public　eye。　The　height　of　glory　to　which　your　professional　judgment；　united　with　a　proper　degree　of　bravery；　guarded　by　Providence；　has　raised　you；　few　sons；　my　dear　child；　attain　to；　and　fewer　fathers　live　to　see。　Tears　of　joy　have　involuntarily　trickled　down　my　furrowed　cheeks：　who　could　stand　the　force　of　such　general　congratulation？　The　name　and　services　of　Nelson　have　sounded　through　this　city　of　Bathfrom　the　common　ballad…　singer　to　the　public　theatre。〃　The　good