and paralysed the enemy, insomuch that a second ship of the
line had almost taken her position close to the stern of her predecessor
before the battle began. The effect on the minds of the combatants on
both sides was so great that they seemed to have forgotten for an
instant the dread work they were about to perform. The mole was crowded
with troops, many of whom, with irresistible feelings of curiosity,
leaped on the parapet to see the vessel pass, while Lord Exmouth, with a
strange touch of humanity, waved to them earnestly to get out of the way
of the coming fire!

Having coolly lashed the ship by a hawser to the main-mast of an
Algerine brig which was attached to the shore, and stoppered the cables,
the crew of the flag-ship cheered.

Immediately a gun was fired by the Algerines. At the first flash Lord
Exmouth gave the order to "stand by."

At the second gun of the enemy he gave the word "Fire!"

The third was drowned in the thunder of the _Queen Charlotte's_
broadside.

The effect of such heavy metal at so short a range was terrific. The
walls absolutely crumbled before it, and it is said that five hundred
men fell at the first discharge. All the batteries of the city at once
opened fire; the ships did likewise, as they successively got into
position, and for some hours after that the roar of artillery was
incessant, for, despite the irresistible fire of the fleet, the pirates
stood to their guns like men. Thus, although the leading vessels
succeeded in anchoring quietly, all the rest of the ships went into
action under a very heavy fire, particularly that of the Dutch Admiral,
who displayed great wisdom and gallantry in the part which he played.
The line-of-battle ships formed in a sort of crescent round the outside
of the island. The _Superb_ anchored two hundred and fifty yards astern
of the flag-ship; the _Minden_ anchored about her own length from the
_Superb_, and passing her stream-cable out of the larboard gun-room port
to the _Albion_, brought the two ships together. Next came the
_Impregnable_. These sufficiently engaged the batteries on the island
or mole. The heavy frigates passed ahead and anchored,--the _Leander_
on the port bow of the _Queen Charlotte_, the _Severn_ ahead of her,
with her starboard broadside bearing on the Fishmarket battery. The
_Melampus_ and _Diana_, Dutch vessels, passed beyond and engaged the
southern batteries of the town. The smaller vessels cruised about,