the life of horatio lord nelson-第45章

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　intelligence　than　knowing　whither　to　betake　himself；　and　here　a　case　occurred　that　more　than　any　other　event　in　real　history　resembles　those　whimsical　proofs　of　sagacity　which　Voltaire；　in　his　Zadig；　has　borrowed　from　the　Orientals。　One　of　our　frigates　spoke　an　American；　who；　a　little　to　the　westward　of　the　Azores；　had　fallen　in　with　an　armed　vessel；　appearing　to　be　a　dismasted　privateer；　deserted　by　her　crew；　which　had　been　run　on　board　by　another　ship；　and　had　been　set　fire　to；　but　the　fire　had　gone　out。　A　log…book　and　a　few　seamen's　jackets　were　found　in　the　cabin；　and　these　were　brought　to　Nelson。　The　log…book　closed　with　these　words：　〃Two　large　vessels　in　the　W。N。W。：〃　and　this　led　him　to　conclude　that　the　vessel　had　been　an　English　privateer；　cruising　off　the　Western　Islands。　But　there　was　in　this　book　a　scrap　of　dirty　paper；　filled　with　figures。　Nelson；　immediately　upon　seeing　it；　observed　that　the　figures　were　written　by　a　Frenchman；　and　after　studying　this　for　a　while；　said；　〃I　can　explain　the　whole。　The　jackets　are　of　French　manufacture；　and　prove　that　the　privateer　was　in　possession　of　the　enemy。　She　had　been　chased　and　taken　by　the　two　ships　that　were　seen　in　the　W。N。W。　The　　prizemaster；　going　on　board　in　a　hurry；　forgot　to　take　with　him　his　reckoning：　there　is　none　in　the　log…book；　and　the　dirty　paper　contains　her　work　for　the　number　of　days　since　the　privateer　last　left　Corvo；　with　an　unaccounted…for　run；　which　I　take　to　have　been　the　chase；　in　his　endeavour　to　find　out　her　situation　by　back　reckonings。　By　some　mismanagement；　I　conclude　she　was　run　on　board　of　by　one　of　the　enemy's　ships；　and　dismasted。　Not　liking　delay　（for　I　am　satisfied　that　those　two　ships　were　the　advanced　ones　of　the　French　squadron）；　and　fancying　we　were　close　at　their　heels；　they　set　fire　to　the　vessel；　and　abandoned　her　in　a　hurry。　If　this　explanation　be　correct；　I　infer　from　it　that　they　are　gone　more　to　the　northward；　and　more　to　the　northward　I　will　look　for　them。〃　This　course　accordingly　he　held；　but　still　without　success。　Still　persevering；　and　still　disappointed；　he　returned　near　enough　to　Cadiz　to　ascertain　that　they　were　not　there；　traversed　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　and　then；　as　a　last　hope；　stood　over　for　the　north…west　coast　of　Ireland　against　adverse　winds；　till；　on　the　evening　of　the　12th　of　August；　he　learned　that　they　had　not　been　heard　of　there。　Frustrated　thus　in　all　his　hopes；　after　a　pursuit；　to　which；　for　its　extent；　rapidity；　and　perseverance；　no　parallel　can　he　produced；　he　judged　it　best　to　reinforce　the　Channel　fleet　with　his　squadron；　lest　the　enemy；　as　Collingwood　apprehended；　should　bear　down　upon　Brest　with　their　whole　collected　force。　On　the　15th　he　joined　Admiral　Cornwallis　off　Ushant。　No　news　had　yet　been　obtained　of　the　enemy；　and　on　the　same　evening　he　received　orders　to　proceed；　with　the　VICTORY　and　SUPERB；　to　Portsmouth。




CHAPTER　IX

1805

Sir　Robert　Calder　falls　in　with　the　combined　FleetsThey　form　a　Junction　with　the　Ferrol　Squadron；　and　get　into　CadizNelson　is　reappointed　to　the　CommandBattle　of　TrafalgarVictory；　and　Death　of　Nelson。

*


At　Portsmouth；　Nelson　at　length　found　news　of　the　combined　fleet。　Sir　Robert　Calder；　who　had　been　sent　out　to　intercept　their　return；　had　fallen　in　with　them　on　the　22nd　of　July；　sixty　leagues　off　Cape　Finisterre。　Their　force　consisted　of　twenty　sail　of　the　line；　three　fifty…gun　ships；　five　frigates；　and　two　brigs：　his；　of　fifteen　line…of…　battle　ships；　two　frigates；　a　cutter；　and　a　lugger。　After　an　action　of　four　hours　he　had　captured　an　eighty…four　and　a　seventy…four；　and　then　thought　it　necessary　to　bring…to　the　squadron；　for　the　purpose　of　securing　their　prizes。　The　hostile　fleets　remained　in　sight　of　each　other　till　the　26th；　when　the　enemy　bore　away。　The　capture　of　two　ships　from　so　superior　a　force　would　have　been　　considered　as　no　inconsider…　able　victory；　a　few　years　earlier；　but　Nelson　had　introduced　a　new　era　in　our　naval　history；　and　the　nation　felt　respecting　this　action　as　he　had　felt　on　a　somewhat　similar　occasion。　They　regretted　that　Nelson；　with　his　eleven　ships；　had　not　been　in　Sir　Robert　Calder's　place；　and　their　disappointment　was　generally　and　loudly　expressed。

Frustrated　as　his　own　hopes　had　been；　Nelson　had　yet　the　high　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　his　judgment　had　never　been　more　conspicuously　approved；　and　that　he　had　rendered　essential　service　to　his　country；　by　driving　the　enemy　from　those　Islands　where　they　expected　there　could　be　no　force　capable　of　opposing　them。　The　West　India　merchants　in　London；　as　men　whose　interests　were　more　immediately　benefited；　appointed　a　deputation　to　express　their　thanks　for　his　great　and　judicious　exertions。　It　was　now　his　intention　to　rest　awhile　from　his　labours；　and　recruit　himself；　after　all　his　fatigues　and　cares；　in　the　society　of　those　whom　he　loved。　All　his　stores　were　brought　up　from　the　VICTORY；　and　he　found　in　his　house　at　Merton　the　enjoyment　which　he　had　anticipated。　Many　days　had　not　elapsed　before　Captain　Blackwood；　on　his　way　to　London　with　despatches；　called　on　him　at　five　in　the　morning。　Nelson；　who　was　already　dressed；　exclaimed；　the　moment　he　saw　him：　〃I　am　sure　you　bring　me　news　of　the　French　and　Spanish　fleets！　I　think　I　shall　yet　have　to　beat　them！〃　They　had　refitted　at　Vigo；　after　the　indecisive　action　with　Sir　Robert　Calder；　then　proceeded　to　Ferrol；　brought　out　the　squadron　from　thence；　and　with　it　entered　Cadiz　in　safety。　〃Depend　on　it；　Blackwood：〃　he　repeatedly　said；　〃I　shall　yet　give　M。　Villeneuve　a　drubbing。〃　But　when　Blackwood　had　left　him；　he　wanted　resolution　to　declare　his　wishes　to　Lady　Hamilton　and　his　sisters；　and　endeavoured　to　drive　away　the　thought。　He　had　done　enough；　he　said：　〃Let　the　man　trudge　it　who　has　lost　his　budget！〃　His　countenance　belied　his　lips；　and　as　he　was　pacing　one　of　the　walks　in　the　garden；　which　he　used　to　call　the　quarter…deck；　Lady　Hamilton　came　up　to　him；　and　told　him　she　saw　he　was　uneasy。　He　smiled；　and　said：　〃No；　he　was　as　happy　as　possible；　he　was　surrounded　by　his　family；　his　health　was　better　since　he　had　been　an　shore；　and　he　would　not　give　sixpence　to　call　the　king　his　uncle。〃　She　replied；　that　she　did　not　believe　him；　that　she　knew　that　he　was　longing　to　get　at　the　combined　fleets；　that　he　considered　them　as　his　own　property；　that　he　would　be　miserable　if　any　man　but　himself　did　the　business；　and　that　he　ought　to　have　them；　as　the　price　and　reward　of　his　two　years'　long　watching；　and　his　hard　chase。　〃Nelson；〃　said　she；　〃however　we　may　lament　your　absence；　offer　your　services；　they　will　be　accepted；　and　you　will　gain　a　quiet　heart　by　it：　you　will　have　a　glorious　victory；　and　then　you　may　return　here；　and　be　happy。〃　He　looked　at　her　with　tears　in　his　eyes：　〃Brave　Emma！　Good　Emma！　If　there　were　more　Emmas　there　would　be　more　Nelsons。〃

His　services　were　as　willingly　accepted　as　they　were　offered；　and　Lord　Barham；　giving　him　the　list　of　the　navy；　desired　him　to　choose　his　own　officers。　〃Choose　yourself；　my　lord；〃　was　his　reply：　〃the　same　spirit　actuates　the　whole　profession：　you　cannot　choose　wrong。〃　Lord　Barham　then　desired　him　to　say　what　ships；　and　how　many；　he　would　wish；　in　addition　to　the　fleet　which　he　was　going　to　command；　and　said　they　should　follow　him　as　soon　as　each　was　ready。　No　appointment　was　ever　more　in　unison　with　the　feelings　and　judgment　of　the　whole　nation。　They；　like　Lady　Hamilton；　thought　that　the　destruction　of　the　combined　fleets　ought　properly　to　be　Nelson's　work；　that　he　who　had　been

〃Half　around　the　sea…girt　ball；　The　hunter　of　the　recreant　Gaul；〃

ought　to　reap　the　spoils　of　the　chase　which　he　had　watched　so　long；　and　so　perseveringly　pursued。

Unremitting　exertions　were　made　to　equip　the　ships　which　he　had　chosen；　and　especially　to　refit　the　VICTORY；　which　was　once　more　to　bear　his　flag。　Before　he　left　London　he　called　at　his　upholsterer's；　where　the　coffin　which　Captain　Hallowell　had　given　him　was　deposited；　and　desired　that　its　history　might　be　engraven　upon　the　lid；　saying　that　it　was　highly　probable　he　might　want　it　on　his　return。　He　seemed；　indeed；　to　have　been　impressed　with　an　expectation　that　he　should　fall　in　the　battle。　In　a　letter　to　his　brother；　written　immediately　after　his　return；　he　had　said：　〃We　must　not　talk　of　Sir　Robert　Calder's　battleI　might　not　have　done　so　much　with　my　small　force。　If　I　had　fallen　in　with　them；　you　might　probably　have　been　a　lord　before　I　wished；　for　I　know　they　meant　to　make　a　dead　set　at　the　VICTORY。〃　Nelson　had　once　regarded　the　prospect　of　death　with　gloomy　satisfaction：　it　was　when　he　anticipated　the　upbraidings　of　his　wife；　and　the　displeasure　of　his　venerable　father。　The　state　of　his　feelings　now　was　expressed　in　his　private　journal　in　these　words：　〃Friday　night　（Sept。　13）；　at　half…past　ten；　I　drove　from　dear；　dear　Merton；　where　I　left　all　which　I　hold　dear　in　this　world；　to　go　and　serve　my　king　and　country。　May　the　great　GOD；　whom　I　adore；　enable　me　to　fulfil　the　expectations　of　my　country！　and　if　it　is　His　good　pleasure　that　I　should　return；　my　thanks　will　never　cease　being　offered　up　to　the　throne　of　His　mercy。　If　it　is　His　good　providence　to　cut　short　my　days　upon　earth；　I　bow　with　the　greatest　submission；　relying　that　he　will　protect　those　so　dear　to　me　whom　I　may　leave　behind！　His　will　be　done。　Amen！　Amen！　Amen！〃

Early　on　the　following　morning　he　reached　Portsmouth；　and　having　despatched　his　business　on　shore；　endeavoured　to　elude　the　populace　by　taking　a　by…way　to　the　beach；　but　a　crowd　collected　in　his　train；　pressing　forward　to　obtain　a　sight　of　his　face：　many　were　in　tears；　and　many　knelt　down　before　him　and　blessed　him　as　he　passed。　England　has　had　many　heroes；　but　never　one　who　so　entirely　possessed　the　love　of　his　fellow…countrymen　as　Nelson。　All　men　knew　that　his　heart　was　as　humane　as　it　was　fearless；　that　there　was　not　in　his　nature　the　slightest　alloy　of　selfishness　or　cupidity；　but　that　with　perfect　and　entire　devotion　he　served　his　country　with　all　his　heart；　and　with　all　his　soul；　and　with　all　his　strength；　and；　therefore；　they　loved　him　as　truly　and　as　fervently　as　he　loved　England。　They　pressed　upon　the　parapet　to　gaze　after　him　when　his　barge　pushed　off；　and　he　was　returning　their　cheers　by　waving　his　hat。　The　sentinels；　who　endeavoured　to　prevent　them　from　trespassing　upon　this　ground；　were　wedged　among　the　crowd；　and　an　officer　who；　not　very　prudently　upon　such　an　occasion；　ordered　them　to　drive　the　people　down　with　their　bayonets；　was　compelled　speedily　to　retreat；　for　the　people　would　not　be　debarred　from　gazing　till　the　last　moment　upon　the　herothe　darling　hero　of　England！

He　arrived　off　Cadiz　on　the　29th　of　Septemberhis　birthday。　Fearing　that　if　the　enemy　knew　his　force　they　might　be　deterred　from　venturing　to　sea；　he　kept　out　of　sight　of　land；　desired　Collingwood　to　fire　no　salute　and　hoist　no　colours；　and　wrote　to　Gibraltar　to　request　that　the　force　of　the　fleet　might　not　be　inserted　there　in　the　GAZETTE。　His　reception　in　the　Mediterranean　fleet　was　as　gratifying　as　the　farewell　of　his　countrymen　at　Portsmouth：　the　officers　who　came　on　board　to　welcome　him　forgot　his　rank　as　commander　in　their　joy　at　seeing　him　again。　On　the　day　of　his　arrival；　Villeneuve　received　orders　to　put　to　sea　the　first　opportunity。　Villeneuve；　however