the life of horatio lord nelson-第46章

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d　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　being　southerly；　after　a　second　examination　of　the　Danish　position；　it　was　determined　to　attack　from　the　south；　approaching　in　the　manner　which　Nelson　had　suggested　in　his　first　thoughts。　On　the　morning　of　the　1st　of　April　the　whole　fleet　removed　to　an　anchorage　within　two　leagues　of　the　town；　and　off　the　N。W。　end　of　the　Middle　Ground；　a　shoal　lying　exactly　before　the　town；　at　about　three　quarters　of　a　mile　distance；　and　extending　along　its　whole　sea…front。　The　King's　Channel；　where　there　is　deep　water；　is　between　this　shoal　and　the　town；　and　here　the　Danes　had　arranged　their　line　of　defence；　as　near　the　shore　as　possible：　nineteen　ships　and　floating　batteries；　flanked；　at　the　end　nearest　the　town；　by　the　Crown　Batteries；　which　were　two　artificial　islands；　at　the　mouth　of　the　harbourmost　formidable　works；　the　larger　one　having；　by　the　Danish　account；　66　guns；　but；　as　Nelson　believed；　88。　The　fleet　having　anchored；　Nelson；　with　Riou；　in　the　AMAZON；　made　his　last　examination　of　the　ground；　and　about　one　o'clock；　returning　to　his　own　ship；　threw　out　the　signal　to　weigh。　It　was　received　with　a　shout　throughout　the　whole　division；　they　weighed　with　a　light　and　favourable　wind：　the　narrow　channel　between　the　island　of　Saltholm　and　the　Middle　Ground　had　been　accurately　buoyed；　the　small　craft　pointed　out　the　course　distinctly；　Riou　led　the　way：　the　whole　division　coasted　along　the　outer　edge　of　the　shoal；　doubled　its　further　extremity；　and　anchored　there　off　Draco　Point；　just　as　the　darkness　closedthe　headmost　of　the　enemy's　line　not　being　more　than　two　miles　distant。　The　signal　to　prepare　for　action　had　been　made　early　in　the　evening；　and　as　his　own　anchor　dropt；　Nelson　called　out；　〃I　will　fight　them　the　moment　I　have　a　fair　wind！〃　It　had　been　agreed　that　Sir　Hyde；　with　the　remaining　ships；　should　weigh　on　the　following　morning；　at　the　same　time　as　Nelson；　to　menace　the　Crown　Batteries　on　his　side；　and　the　four　ships　of　the　line　which　lay　at　the　entrance　of　the　arsenal；　and　to　cover　our　own　disabled　ships　as　they　came　out　of　action。

The　Danes；　meantime；　had　not　been　idle：　no　sooner　did　the　guns　of　Cronenburgh　make　it　known　to　the　whole　city　that　all　negotiation　was　at　an　end；　that　the　British　fleet　was　passing　the　Sound；　and　that　the　dispute　between　the　two　crowns　must　now　be　decided　by　arms；　than　a　spirit　displayed　itself　most　honourable　to　the　Danish　character。　All　ranks　offered　themselves　to　the　service　of　their　country；　the　university　furnished　a　corps　of　1200　youth；　the　flower　of　Denmarkit　was　one　of　those　emergencies　in　which　little　drilling　or　discipline　is　necessary　to　render　courage　available：　they　had　nothing　to　learn　but　how　to　manage　the　guns；　and　day　and　night　were　employed　in　practising　them。　When　the　movements　of　Nelson's　squadron　were　perceived；　it　was　known　when　and　where　the　attack　was　to　be　expected；　and　the　line　of　defence　was　manned　indiscriminately　by　soldiers；　sailors；　and　citizens。　Had　not　the　whole　attention　of　the　Danes　been　directed　to　strengthen　their　own　means　of　defence；　they　might　most　materially　have　annoyed　the　invading　squadron；　and　perhaps　frustrated　the　impending　attack；　for　the　British　ships　were　crowded　in　an　anchoring　ground　of　little　extent：it　was　calm；　so　that　mortar…boats　might　have　acted　against　them　to　the　utmost　advantage；　and　they　were　within　range　of　shells　from　Amak　Island。　A　few　fell　among　them；　but　the　enemy　soon　ceased　to　fire。　It　was　learned　afterwards；　that；　fortunately　for　the　fleet；　the　bed　of　the　mortar　had　given　way；　and　the　Danes　either　could　not　get　it　replaced；　or；　in　the　darkness；　lost　the　direction。

This　was　an　awful　night　for　Copenhagenfar　more　so　than　for　the　British　fleet；　where　the　men　were　accustomed　to　battle　and　victory；　and　had　none　of　those　objects　before　their　eyes　which　rendered　death　terrible。　Nelson　sat　down　to　table　with　a　large　party　of　his　officers：　he　was；　as　he　was　ever　wont　to　be　when　on　the　eve　of　action；　in　high　spirits；　and　drank　to　a　leading　wind；　and　to　the　success　of　the　morrow。　After　supper　they　returned　to　their　respective　ships；　except　Riou；　who　remained　to　arrange　the　order　of　battle　with　Nelson　and　Foley；　and　to　draw　up　instructions。　Hardy；　meantime；　went　in　a　small　boat　to　examine　the　channel　between　them　and　the　enemy；　approaching　so　near　that　he　sounded　round　their　leading　ship　with　a　pole；　lest　the　noise　of　throwing　the　lead　should　discover　him。　The　incessant　fatigue　of　body；　as　well　as　mind；　which　Nelson　had　undergone　during　the　last　three　days；　had　so　exhausted　him　that　he　was　earnestly　urged　to　go　to　his　cot；　and　his　old　servant；　Allen；　using　that　kind　of　authority　which　long　and　affectionate　services　entitled　and　enabled　him　to　assume　on　such　occasions；　insisted　upon　his　complying。　The　cot　was　placed　on　the　floor；　and　he　continued　to　dictate　from　it。　About　eleven　Hardy　returned；　and　reported　the　practicability　of　the　channel；　and　the　depth　of　water　up　to　the　enemy's　line。　About　one　the　orders　were　completed；　and　half…a…dozen　clerks；　in　the　foremost　cabin；　proceeded　to　transcribe　them；　Nelson　frequently　calling　out　to　them　from