the life of horatio lord nelson-第33章

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ips　could　not　come　over　the　GROUNDS　to　attack　Copenhagen；　and　light　vessels　would　have　no　effect　on　such　a　line　of　defence　as　had　been　prepared　against　them。　Domett　urged　these　reasons　so　forcibly　that　Sir　Hyde's　opinion　was　shaken；　and　he　　consented　to　bring　the　fleet　to　and　send　for　Nelson　on　board。　There　can　be　little　doubt　but　that　the　expedition　would　have　failed　if　Captain　Domett　had　not　thus　timeously　and　earnestly　given　his　advice。　Nelson　entirely　agreed　with　him；　and　it　was　finally　determined　to　take　the　passage　of　the　Sound；　and　the　fleet　returned　to　its　former　anchorage。

The　next　day　was　more　idly　expended　in　despatching　a　flag　of　truce　to　the　governor　of　Cronenburg　Castle；　to　ask　whether　he　had　received　orders　to　fire　at　the　British　fleet；　as　the　admiral　must　consider　the　first　gun　to　be　a　declaration　of　war　on　the　part　of　Denmark。　A　soldier…like　and　becoming　answer　was　returned　to　this　formality。　The　governor　said　that　the　British　minister　had　not　been　sent　away　from　Copenhagen；　but　had　obtained　a　passport　at　his　own　demand。　He　himself；　as　a　soldier；　could　not　meddle　with　politics；　but　he　was　not　at　liberty　to　suffer　a　fleet；　of　which　the　intention　was　not　yet　known；　to　approach　the　guns　of　the　castle　which　he　had　the　honour　to　command：　and　he　requested；　〃if　the　British　admiral　should　think　proper　to　make　any　proposals　to　the　King　of　Denmark；　that　he　might　be　apprised　of　it　before　the　fleet　approached　nearer。〃　During　this　intercourse；　a　Dane；　who　came　on　board　the　commander's　ship；　having　occasion　to　express　his　business　in　writing；　found　the　pen　blunt；　and；　holding　it　up；　sarcastically　said；　〃If　your　guns　are　not　better　pointed　than　your　pens；　you　will　make　little　impression　on　Copenhagen！〃

On　that　day　intelligence　reached　the　admiral　of　the　loss　of　one　of　his　fleet；　the　INVINCIBLE；　seventy…four；　wrecked　on　a　sand…bank；　as　she　was　coming　out　of　Yarmouth：　four　hundred　of　her　men　perished　in　her。　Nelson；　who　was　now　appointed　to　lead　the　van；　shifted　his　flag　to　the　ELEPHANT；　Captain　Foleya　lighter　ship　than　the　ST。　GEORGE；　and；　there…　fore；　fitter　for　the　expected　operations。　The　two　following　days　were　calm。　Orders　had　been　given　to　pass　the　Sound　as　soon　as　the　wind　would　permit；　and；　on　the　afternoon　of　the　29th；　the　ships　were　cleared　for　action；　with　an　alacrity　characteristic　of　British　seamen。　At　daybreak　on　the　30th　it　blew　a　topsail　breeze　from　N。W。　The　signal　was　made；　and　the　fleet　moved　on　in　order　of　battle；　Nelson's　division　in　the　van；　Sir　Hyde's　in　the　centre；　and　Admiral　Graves'　in　the　rear。

Great　actions；　whether　military　or　naval；　have　generally　given　celebrity　to　the　scenes　from　whence　they　are　denominated；　and　thus　petty　villages；　and　capes　and　bays　known　only　to　the　coasting　trader；　become　associated　with　mighty　deeds；　and　their　names　are　made　conspicuous　in　the　history　of　the　world。　Here；　however；　the　scene　was　every　way　worthy　of　the　drama。　The　political　importance　of　the　Sound　is　such；　that　grand　objects　are　not　needed　there　to　impress　the　imagination；　yet　is　the　channel　full　of　grand　and　interesting　objects；　both　of　art　and　nature。　This　passage；　which　Denmark　had　so　long　considered　as　the　key　of　the　Baltic；　is；　in　its　narrowest　part；　about　three　miles　wide；　and　here　the　city　of　Elsinore　is　situated；　except　Copenhagen；　the　most　flourishing　of　the　Danish　towns。　Every　vessel　which　passes　lowers　her　top…gallant　sails　and　pays　toll　at　Elsinore；　a　toll　which　is　believed　to　have　had　its　origin　in　the　consent　of　the　traders　to　that　sea；　Denmark　taking　upon　itself　the　charge　of　　constructing　lighthouses；　and　erecting　signals；　to　mark　the　shoals　and　rocks　from　the　Cattegat　to　the　Baltic；　and　they；　on　their　part；　agreeing　that　all　ships　should　pass　this　way　in　order　that　all　might　pay　their　shares：　none　from　that　time　using　the　passage　of　the　Belt；　because　it　was　not　fitting　that　they　who　enjoyed　the　benefit　of　the　beacons　in　dark　and　stormy　weather；　should　evade　contributing　to　them　in　fair　seasons　and　summer　nights。　Of　late　years　about　ten　thousand　vessels　had　annually　paid　this　contribution　in　time　of　peace。　Adjoining　Elsinore；　and　at　the　edge　of　the　peninsular　promontory；　upon　the　nearest　point　of　land　to　the　Swedish　coast；　stands　Cronenburgh　Castle；　built　after　Tycho　Brahe's　design；　a　magnificent　pileat　once　a　palace；　and　fortress；　and　state…prison；　with　its　spires；　and　towers；　and　battlements；　and　batteries。　On　the　left　of　the　strait　is　the　old　Swedish　city　of　Helsinburg；　at　the　foot；　and　on　the　side　of　a　hill。　To　the　north　of　Helsinburg　the　shores　are　steep　and　rocky；　they　lower　to　the　south；　and　the　distant　spires　of　Lanscrona；　Lund；　and　Malmoe　are　seen　in　the　flat　country。　The　Danish　shores　consist　partly　of　ridges　of　sand；　but　more　frequently　they　are　diversified　with　cornfields；　meadows；　slopes；　and　are　covered　with　rich　wood；　and　villages；　and　villas；　and　summer　palaces　belonging　to　the　king　and　the　nobility；　and　denoting　the　vicinity　of　a　great　capital。　The　isles　of　Huen；　Statholm；　and　Amak；　appear　in　the　widening　channel；　and　at　the　distance　of　twenty　miles　from　Elsinore　stands　Copenhagen　in　full　view；　the　best　city　of　the　north；　and　one　of　the　finest　capitals　of　Europe；　visible；　with　its　stately　spires；　far　off。　Amid　these　magnificent　objects　there　are　some　which　possess　a　peculiar　interest　for　the　recollections　which　they　call　forth。　The　isle　of　Huen；　a　lovely　domain；　about　six　miles　in　circumference；　had　been　the　munificent　gift　of　Frederick　the　Second　to　Tycho　Brahe。　It　has　higher　shores　than　the　near　coast　of　Zealand；　or　than　the　Swedish　coast　in　that　part。　Here　most　of　his　discoveries　were　made；　and　here　the　ruins　are　to　be　seen　of　his　observatory；　and　of　the　mansion　where　he　was　visited　by　princes；　and　where；　with　a　princely　spirit；　he　received　and　entertained　all　comers　from　all　parts；　and　promoted　science　by　his　liberality　as　well　as　by　his　labours。　Elsinore　is　a　name　familiar　to　English　ears；　being　inseparably　associated　with　HAMLET；　and　one　of　the　noblest　works　of　human　genius。　Cronenburgh　had　been　the　scene　of　deeper　tragedy：　here　Queen　Matilda　was　confined；　the　victim　of　a　foul　and　murderous　court　intrigue。　Here；　amid　heart…breaking　griefs；　she　found　consolation　in　nursing　her　infant。　Here　she　took　her　everlasting　leave　of　that　infant；　when；　by　the　interference　of　England；　her　own　deliverance　was　obtained；　and　as　the　ship　bore　her　away　from　a　country　where　the　venial　indiscretions　of　youth　and　unsuspicious　gaiety　had　been　so　cruelly　punished；　upon　these　towers　she　fixed　her　eyes；　and　stood　upon　the　deck；　obstinately　gazing　toward　them　till　the　last　speck　had　disappeared。

The　Sound　being　the　only　frequented　entrance　to　the　Baltic；　the　great　Mediterranean　of　the　North；　few　parts　of　the　sea　display　so　frequent　a　navigation。　In　the　height　of　the　season　not　fewer　than　a　hundred　vessels　pass　every　four…and…twenty　hours　for　many　weeks　in　succession；　but　never　had　so　busy　or　so　splendid　a　scene　been　exhibited　there　as　on　this　day；　when　the　British　fleet　prepared　to　force　that　passage　where；　till　now；　all　ships　had　vailed　their　topsails　to　the　flag　of　Denmark。　The　whole　force　consisted　of　fifty…one　sail　of　various　descriptions；　of　which　sixteen　were　of　the　line。　The　greater　part　of　the　bomb　and　gun　vessels　took　their　stations　off　Cronenburgh　Castle；　to　cover　the　fleet；　while　others　on　the　larboard　were　ready　to　engage　the　Swedish　shore。　The　Danes；　having　improved　every　moment　which　ill…timed　negotiation　and　baffling　weather　gave　them；　had　lined　their　shores　with　batteries；　and　as　soon　as　the　MONARCH；　which　was　the　leading　ship；　came　abreast　of　them；　a　fire　was　opened　from　about　a　hundred　pieces　of　cannon　and　mortars；　our　light　vessels　immediately；　in　return；　opened　their　fire　upon　the　castle。　Here　was　all　the　pompous　circumstance　and　exciting　reality　of　war；　without　its　effects；　for　this　ostentatious　display　was　but　a　bloodless　prelude　to　the　wide　and　sweeping　destruction　which　was　soon　to　follow。　The　enemy's　shot　fell　near　enough　to　splash　the　water　on　board　our　ships：　not　relying　upon　any　forbearance　of　the　Swedes；　they　meant　to　have　kept　the　mid　channel；　but　when　they　perceived　that　not　a　shot　was　fired　from　Helsinburg；　and　that　no　batteries　were　to　be　seen　on　the　Swedish　shore；　they　inclined　to　that　side；　so　as　completely　to　get　out　of　reach　of　the　Danish　guns。　The　uninterrupted　blaze　which　was　kept　up　from　them　till　the　fleet　had　passed；　served　only　to　exhilarate　our　sailors；　and　afford　them　matter　for　jest；　as　the　shot　fell　in　showers　a　full　cable's　length　short　of　its　destined　aim。　A　few　rounds　were　re…　turned　from　some　of　our　leading　ships；　till　they　perceived　its　in…　utility：　this；　however；　occasioned　the　only　bloodshed　of　the　day；　some　of　our　men　being　killed　and　wounded　by　the　bursting　of　a　gun。　As　soon　as　the　main　body　had　passed；　the　gun　vessels　followed；　desisting　from　their　bombardment；　which　had　been　as　innocent　as　that　of　the　enemy；　and；　about　mid…day；　the　whole　fleet　anchored　between　the　island　of　Huen　and　Copen…　hagen。　Sir　Hyde；　with　Nelson；　Admiral　Graves；　some　of　the　senior　captains；　and　the　commanding　officers　of　the　artillery　and　the　troops；　then　proceeded　in　a　lugger　to　reconnoitre　the　enemy's　means　of　defence；　a　formidable　line　of　ships；　radeaus；　pontoons；　galleys；　fire…ships　and　gun…boats；　flanked　and　supported　by　extensive　batteries；　and　occupying；　from　one　extreme　point　to　the　other；　an　extent　of　nearly　four　miles。

A　council　of　war　was　held　In　the　afternoon。　It　was　apparent　that　the　Danes　could　not　be　attacked　without　great　difficulty　and　risk；　and　some　of　the　members　of　the　council　spoke　of　the　number　of　the　Swedes　and　the　Russians　whom　they　should　afterwards　have　to　engage；　as　a　consideration　which　ought　to　be　borne　in　mind。　Nelson；　who　kept　pacing　the　cabin；　impatient　as　he　ever　was　of　anything　which　savoured　of　irresolution；　repeatedly　said；　〃The　more　numerous　the　better：　I　wish　they　were　twice　as　many；the　easier　the　victory；　depend　on　it。〃　The　plan　upon　which　he　had　determined；　if　ever　it　should　be　his　fortune　to　bring　a　Baltic　fleet　to　action；　was；　to　attack　the　head　of　their　line　and　confuse　their　movements。　〃Close　with　a　Frenchman；〃　he　used　to　say；　〃but　out　manoeuvre　a　Russian。〃　He　offered　his　services　for　the　attack；　requiring　ten　sail　of　the　line　and　the　whole　of　the　smaller　craft。　Sir　Hyde　gave　him　two　more　line…of…battle　ships　than　he　asked；　and　left　everything　to　his　judgment。

The　enemy's　force　was　not　the　only；　nor　the　greatest；　obstacle　with　which　the　British　fleet　had　to　contend：　there　was　another　to　be　overcome　before　they　could　come　in　contact　with　it。　The　channel　was　little　known　and　extremely　intricate：　all　the　buoys　had　been　removed；　and　the　Danes　considered　this　difficulty　as　almost　insuperable；　thinking　the　channel　impracticable　for　so　large　a　fleet。　Nelson　himself　saw　the　soundings　made　and　the　buoys　laid　down；　boating　it　upon　this　exhausting　service；　day　and　night；　till　it　was　effected。　When　this　was　done　he　thanked　God　for　having　enabled　him　to　get　through　this　difficult　part　of　his　duty。　〃It　had　worn　him　down；〃　he　said；　〃and　was　infinitely　more　grievous　to　him　than　any　resistance　which　he　could　experience　from　the　enemy。〃

At　the　first　council　of　war；　opinions　inclined　to　an　attack　from　the　eastward；　but　the　next　day；　the　wind