nerous heart, he observed to Captain
Berry, that he should soon be a match for any hostile fleet in the
Mediterranean; and his only desire would then be, to encounter one.

The squadron, on the 6th, were widely spread, in anxious expectation,
looking out for the expected reinforcement. They were informed, that
several sail, then in sight, were Spanish ships, richly laden; but the
love of glory now filled too powerfully the hero's breast, to admit the
presence of any sordid or selfish passion. He had heard that, with the
storm in which his ships so severely suffered, the grand armament had
set out from Toulon; and, perhaps, but for this apparently unfriendly
gale, his little squadron might have become the prey of such greatly
superior force. The fury of that tempest, however, though violent, was
soon exhausted, and it's ill effects were quickly repaired: but the dark
storm of desolation, proceeding from the collected thunders of France
issued at the port of Toulon, was now passing dreadfully over the
menaced world; and every country seemed waiting, in awful horror, to
behold where it should finally burst, and fatally descend.

The consideration of the important part which Sir Horatio Nelson had to
act, in the grand theatre of the universe, now absorbed every other
consideration. The Alexander, indeed, had stopped one of the Spanish
ships; but, Captain Ball finding that it had on board eighty or ninety
priests, driven by French persecution from the papal sanctuary of Rome,
considered it would be an act of inhumanity to prevent their seeking an
asylum. He accordingly suffered the ship to proceed: bringing away only
a few volunteer Genoese seamen from the Spanish vessel, who expressed
their desire of the honour to serve in the British fleet, and their
resentment of the ill usage which they had recently experienced from the
detested French.

In a state of the most pleasingly painful anxiety did this little
squadron, and their impatient commander, continue to watch, for the
expected reinforcement, till the 8th at noon; when they had the
happiness to discover, from the mast-head, ten sail; and it was not long
before these were recognized to be British ships of war, standing on a
wind, in close line of battle, with all sails set. Private signals were
now exchanged; and, before sun-set, this important junction was
completely effected.

Captain Troubridge brought no instructions to Admiral Nelson respecting
the course he was