r ardour, served only to animate their
fury, and prompt them, if possible, to still greater exertions. On being
carried into the cockpit, where several of his gallant crew were
stretched with their shattered limbs, and lacerated wounds, the surgeon,
with the most respectful anxiety, quitted the poor fellow then under
his hands, that he might instantly attend on the admiral.

"No," replied the heroic commander, with the utmost composure,
though he had then no hope of surviving, "I will take my turn with
my brave fellows."

"The agony of his wound, in the mean time, greatly increasing, he
became satisfied that the idea which he had long indulged of dying
in battle was now about to be accomplished. He desired to see his
chaplain, the Reverend Mr. Comyn, and begged he would bear his
remembrances to Lady Nelson; and, as the last beneficial office
that he conceived he should be able to perform, he appointed
Captain Hardy, of La Mutine, to be Captain of the Vanguard. Having
expressed a wish to see Captain Louis, of the Minotaur, Captain
Berry had hailed that ship, and the commander came on board. The
admiral was desirous of personally thanking him for the assistance
which he had, in the height of danger, been enabled to render the
Vanguard. "My dear Louis," said the admiral, "farewel! I shall
never, should I survive, forget the obligation I am under to you.
Whatever may become of me, my mind is at peace." He, then, with the
most pious composure, seemed resigning himself to death. As soon as
the surgeon had, according to the express injunctions of the
admiral, paid all necessary attention to every person previously
wounded, he came forward to examine the wound of their commander.
An awful silence prevailed; but it was of short duration, for the
surgeon almost immediately pronounced it to be merely superficial,
and of no dangerous consequence. The pleasing intelligence speedily
circulated through the ship, and the excess of sorrow was
instantaneously converted into the excess of joy: nor did the hero
feel less delighted at hearing the grateful expressions of gladness
from his generous crew, than at the unexpected announcement of his
life's being considered, by the surgeon, as in no sort of danger.
This circumstance, indeed, greatly tended to alleviate his
sufferings during th