The _Canopus_ from behind the hills fired on the German ships in an
endeavor to protect the wireless station. Beyond the range of her guns
hovered the lighter German cruisers _Dresden_, _Leipzig_, and _Nuernberg_
to await the outcoming of the _Glasgow_. Both the _Gneisenau_ and
_Scharnhorst_ concentrated their fire on the _Canopus_, and when the
_Glasgow_, accompanied by the _Carnarvon_, _Cornwall_, and _Kent_, made
her appearance it did not change the battle formation of the Germans,
for the _Canopus_ was still the only large vessel they were aware of.
Now the _Leipzig_ came nearer in order to take up the fight with the
lighter British ships. By nine in the morning the German ships were
drawn out in single file, running parallel with the shore in a
northeasterly direction. At the head of the line was the _Gneisenau_,
followed by the _Dresden_, _Scharnhorst_, _Nuernberg_, and _Leipzig_, in
that order. They thought that this would entice what they believed to be
the whole of the British force present into coming out for a running
fight, and in which the old _Canopus_ would be left behind to be
finished after the lighter vessels were done for. But all this time the
_Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ were silent with their guns, though there
was bustle enough aboard them while their coaling was being hurried.

By ten o'clock these two larger ships were ready with steam up and decks
cleared, and they came out from behind the hill. Von Spee saw that
discretion was the better part of valor and gave orders for his ships to
make off at full speed. For a time the two squadrons kept parallel to
each other at a distance of twelve miles, with the British squadron--the
_Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ leading--north of the German ships. The
_Baden_ and _Santa Isabel_, two transports that had been part of the
German squadron, were unable to keep up with the others and headed
south, pursued by the _Bristol_ and _Macedonia_. The two British battle
cruisers were faster than any other ships in either squadron, and while
pulling up on the German ships were in danger of pulling away from their
own ships. To avoid the latter, Admiral Sturdee kept down their speed
and was content with taking a little longer to get within gun range of
Von Spee's ships. By two o'clock the distance between them was about
16,000 yards; the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ had now left the rest of
the British squadron far behind and took issue with the _Scharnhorst_
and