ioned, we discovered the
Venerable with her main-mast gone, and her opponent availing herself
of the air from the eastward to draw away, and pursue her course for
Cadiz, firing her stern-chasers at the Venerable. The remainder of the
enemy's squadron, consisting of five sail of the line and one frigate,
in which both the French and Spanish admirals were embarked, were
discerned in the N.W., at a considerable distance, coming down with a
westerly wind.

"The Superb having secured the prize, was approaching us from the
S.E., and the Spencer and Audacious were also to the southward. Such
was the relative situation of the squadrons, when, at eight minutes
past eight, the Venerable made the signal of having struck on a shoal.
The Admiral, very apprehensive of her falling into the hands of the
enemy, sent me with discretional orders to Captain Hood, that, should
he not be able to get her off the shoal, he might put his men into the
Thames, and burn the Venerable, making the signal at the same time for
the Thames to close with the Venerable as soon as possible. I had
scarcely left the Caesar when I saw the Venerable's fore-mast go over
the side; and before I reached her the mizen-mast followed. I found
her, on going on board, a perfect wreck, striking on the shoal, and
the shot from the stern-chase guns of the Formidable, her opponent,
going over her. The gallant Hood was seated on a gun on the
quarter-deck, cheerfully waiting for the assistance which he knew the
Admiral would send to him as soon as the wind would enable him, and
ready to take advantage of any circumstance that might occur.

"Having delivered my message from the Admiral, he said, 'Tell Sir
James I hope it is not yet so bad with the old Venerable; I hope to
get her off soon. Let the Thames stay by me, in readiness to receive
our people. These rascals shall not have her.' I returned to my ship;
the breeze sprung up; and the Thames closing with the Venerable,
enabled her to heave off the shoal, and the enemy availed himself of
the wind to get into Cadiz. The Venerable was soon under jury-masts
and in tow of the Spencer, steering for Gibraltar, followed by the
rest of the squadron; where we all anchored, with our prize, the San
Antonio, of seventy-four guns, at 6 P.M. on the 14th.

"The scene before us, on anchoring, was of the most animating
description. Every point of the Rock overhanging the shore was crowded
with people, and the acclamations of the troops a