the life of horatio lord nelson-第63章

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American；　lately　arrived　from　England；　maintained　that　it　was　impossible；　for　he　had　seen　him　only　a　few　days　before　in　London；　and　at　that　time　there　was　no　rumour　of　his　going　again　to　sea。

The　station　which　Nelson　had　chosen　was　some　fifty　or　sixty　miles　to　the　west　of　Cadiz；　near　Cape　St。　Marys。　At　this　distance；　he　hoped　to　decoy　the　enemy　out　while　he　guarded　against　the　danger　of　being　caught　with　a　westerly　wind　near　Cadiz　and　driven　within　the　Straits。　The　blockade　of　the　port　was　rigorously　enforced；　in　hopes　that　the　combined　fleet　might　be　forced　to　sea　by　want。　The　Danish　vessels；　therefore；　which　were　carrying　provisions　from　the　French　ports　in　the　bay；　under　the　name　of　Danish　property；　to　all　the　little　ports　from　Ayamonte　to　Algeziras；　from　whence　they　were　conveyed　in　coasting　boats　to　Cadiz；　were　seized。　Without　this　proper　exertion　of　power；　the　blockade　would　have　been　rendered　nugatory　by　the　advantage　thus　taken　of　the　neutral　flag。　The　supplies　from　France　were　thus　effectually　cut　off。　There　was　now　every　indication　that　the　enemy　would　speedily　venture　out：　officers　and　men　were　in　the　highest　spirits　at　the　prospects　of　giving　them　a　decisive　blow；　such；　indeed；　as　would　put　an　end　to　all　further　contest　upon　the　seas。　Theatrical　amusements　were　performed　every　evening　in　most　of　the　ships；　and　God　save　the　King　was　the　hymn　with　which　the　sports　concluded。　〃I　verily　believe；〃　said　Nelson　（writing　on　the　6th　of　October）；　〃that　the　country　will　soon　be　put　to　some　expense　on　my　account；　either　a　monument；　or　a　new　pension　and　honours；　for　I　have　not　the　smallest　doubt　but　that　a　very　few　days；　almost　hours；　will　put　us　in　battle。　The　success　no　man　can　ensure；　but　for　the　fighting　them；　if　they　can　be　got　at；　I　pledge　myself。　The　sooner　the　better：　I　don't　like　to　have　these　things　upon　my　mind。〃

At　this　time　he　was　not　without　some　cause　of　anxiety：　he　was　in　want　of　frigates；　and　the　eyes　of　the　fleet；　as　he　always　called　them；　to　the　want　of　which　the　enemy　before　were　indebted　for　their　escape；　and　Buonaparte　for　his　arrival　in　Egypt。　He　had　only　twenty…three　ships；　others　were　on　the　way；　but　they　might　come　too　late；　and　though　Nelson　never　doubted　of　victory；　mere　victory　was　not　what　he　looked　to；　he　wanted　to　annihilate　the　enemy's　fleet。　The　Carthagena　squadron　might　effect　a　junction　with　this　fleet　on　the　one　side；　and　on　the　other　it　was　to　be　expected　that　a　similar　attempt　would　be　made　by　the　French　from　Brest；　in　either　case　a　formidable　contingency　to　be　apprehended　by　the　blockading　force。　The　Rochefort　squadron　did　push　out；　and　had　nearly　caught　the　AGAMEMNON　and　L'AIMABLE　in　their　way　to　reinforce　the　British　admiral。　Yet　Nelson　at　this　time　weakened　his　own　fleet。　He　had　the　unpleasant　task　to　perform　of　sending　home　Sir　Robert　Calder；　whose　conduct　was　to　be　made　the　subject　of　a　court…martial；　in　consequence　of　the　general　dissatisfaction　which　had　been　felt　and　expressed　at　his　imperfect　victory。　Sir　Robert　Calder　and　Sir　John　Orde；　Nelson　believed　to　be　the　only　two　enemies　whom　he　had　ever　had　in　his　profession；　and　from　that　sensitive　delicacy　which　distinguished　him；　this　made　him　the　more　scrupulously　anxious　to　show　every　possible　mark　of　respect　and　kindness　to　Sir　Robert。　He　wished　to　detain　him　till　after　the　expected　action；　when　the　services　which　he　might　perform；　and　the　triumphant　joy　which　would　be　excited；　would　leave　nothing　to　be　apprehended　from　an　inquiry　into　the　previous　engagement。　Sir　Robert；　however；　whose　situ…　ation　was　very　painful；　did　not　choose　to　delay　a　trial　from　the　result　of　which　he　confidently　expected　a　complete　justification；　and　Nelson；　instead　of　sending　him　home　in　a　frigate；　insisted　on　his　returning　in　his　own　ninety…gun　shipill　as　such　a　ship　could　at　that　time　be　spared。　Nothing　could　be　more　honourable　than　the　feeling　by　which　Nelson　was　influenced；　but；　at　such　a　crisis；　it　ought　not　to　have　been　indulged。

On　the　9th　Nelson　sent　Collingwood　what　he　called；　in　his　diary；　the　Nelson…touch。　〃I　send　you；〃　said　he；　〃my　plan　of　attack；　as　far　as　a　man　dare　venture　to　guess　at　the　very　uncertain　position　the　enemy　may　be　found　in；　but　it　is　to　place　you　perfectly　at　ease　respecting　my　intentions；　and　to　give　full　scope　to　your　judgment　for　carrying　them　into　effect。　We　can；　my　dear　Coll；　have　no　little　jealousies。　We　have　only　one　great　object　in　view；　that　of　annihilating　our　enemies；　and　getting　a　glorious　peace　for　our　country。　No　man　has　more　confidence　in　another　than　I　have　in　you；　and　no　man　will　render　your　services　more　justice　than　your　very　old　friend　Nelson　and　Bronte。〃　The　order　of　sailing　was　to　be　the　order　of　battle：　the　fleet　in　two　lines；　with　an　advanced　squadron　of　eight　of　the　fastest…sailing　two…deckers。　The　second　in　command；　having　the　entire　direction　of　his　line；　was　to　break　through　the　enemy；　about　the　twelfth　ship　from　their　rear：　he　would　lead　through　the　centre；　and　the　　advanced　squadron　was　to　cut　off　three　or　four　ahead　of　the　centre。　This　plan　was　to　be　adapted　to　the　strength　of　the　enemy；　so　that　they　should　always　be　one…fourth　superior　to　those　whom　they　cut　off。　Nelson　said；　〃That　his　admirals　and　captains；　knowing　his　precise　object　to　be　that　of　a　close　and　decisive　action；　would　supply　any　deficiency　of　signals；　and　act　accordingly。　In　case　signals　cannot　be　seen　or　clearly　understood；　no　captain　can　do　wrong　if　he　places　his　ship　alongside　that　of　an　enemy。〃　One　of　the　last　orders　of　this　admirable　man　was；　that　the　name　and　family　of　every　officer；　seaman；　and　marine；　who　might　be　killed　or　wounded　in　action；　should　be；　as　soon　as　possible；　returned　to　him；　in　order　to　be　transmitted　to　the　chairman　of　the　Patriotic　Fund；　that　the　case　might　be　taken　into　consideration　for　the　benefit　of　the　sufferer　or　his　family。

About　half…past　nine　in　the　morning　of　the　19th；　the　MARS；　being　the　nearest　to　the　fleet　of　the　ships　which　formed　the　line　of　communication　with　the　frigates　inshore；　repeated　the　signal　that　the　enemy　were　coming　out　of　port。　The　wind　was　at　this　time　very　light；　with　partial　breezes；　mostly　from　the　S。S。W。　Nelson　ordered　the　signal　to　be　made　for　a　chase　in　the　south…east　quarter。　About　two；　the　repeating　ships　announced　that　the　enemy　were　at　sea。　All　night　the　British　fleet　continued　under　all　sail；　steering　to　the　south…east。　At　daybreak　they　were　in　the　entrance　of　the　Straits；　but　the　enemy　were　not　in　sight。　About　seven　one　of　the　frigates　made　signal　that　the　enemy　were　bearing　north。　Upon　this　the　VICTORY　hove　to；　and　shortly　afterwards　Nelson　made　sail　again　to　the　northward。　In　the　afternoon…the　wind　blew　fresh　from　the　south…west；　and　the　English　began　to　fear　that　the　foe　might　be　forced　to　return　to　port。　A　little　before　sunset；　however；　Blackwood；　in　the　EURYALUS；　telegraphed　that　they　appeared　determined　to　go　to　the　westward；　〃And　that；〃　said　the　admiral　in　his　diary；　〃they　shall　not　do；　if　it　is　in　the　power　of　Nelson　and　Bronte　to　prevent　them。〃　Nelson　had　signified　to　Blackwood　that　he　depended　upon　him　to　keep　sight　of　the　enemy。　They　were　observed　so　well　that　all　their　motions　were　made　known　to　him；　and　as　they　wore　twice；　he　inferred　that　they　were　aiming　to　keep　the　port　of　Cadiz　open；　and　would　retreat　there　as　soon　as　they　saw　the　British　fleet；　for　this　reason　he　was　very　careful　not　to　approach　near　enough　to　be　seen　by　them　during　the　night。　At　daybreak　the　combined　fleets　were　distinctly　seen　from　the　VICTORY's　deck；　formed　in　a　close　line　of　battle　ahead；　on　the　starboard　tack；　about　twelve　miles　to　leeward；　and　standing　to　the　south。　Our　fleet　consisted　of　twenty…seven　sail　of　the　line　and　four　frigates；　theirs　of　thirty…　three　and　seven　large　frigates。　Their　superiority　was　greater　in　size　and　weight　of　metal　than　in　numbers。　They　had　four　thousand　troops　on　board；　and　the　best　riflemen　who　could　be　procured；　many　of　them　Tyrolese；　were　dispersed　through　the　ships。　Little　did　the　Tyrolese；　and　little　did　the　Spaniards；　at　that　day；　imagine　what　horrors　the　wicked　tyrant　whom　they　served　was　preparing　for　their　country。

Soon　after　daylight　Nelson　came　upon　deck。　The　21st　of　October　was　a　festival　in　his　family；　because　on　that　day　his