thousands.'

"When the signal, No. 39, was made, the Signal Lieutenant reported it
to him. He continued his walk, and did not appear to take notice of
it. The lieutenant meeting his Lordship at the next turn asked,
'whether he should repeat it?' Lord Nelson answered, 'No, acknowledge
it.'[33] On the officer returning to the poop, his Lordship called
after him, 'Is No. 16 [For Close Action] still hoisted?' The
lieutenant answering in the affirmative, Lord Nelson said, 'Mind you
keep it so.' He now walked the deck considerably agitated, which was
always known by his moving the stump of his right arm. After a turn or
two, he said to me, in a quick manner, 'Do you know what's shown on
board the Commander-in-Chief, No. 39?' On asking him what that meant,
he answered, 'Why, to leave off action.' 'Leave off action!' he
repeated, and then added, with a shrug, 'Now damn me if I do.' He also
observed, I believe, to Captain Foley, 'You know, Foley, I have only
one eye--I have a right to be blind sometimes;' and then with an
archness peculiar to his character, putting the glass to his blind
eye, he exclaimed, 'I really do not see the signal.' This remarkable
signal was, therefore, only acknowledged on board the Elephant, not
repeated. Admiral Graves did the latter, not being able to
distinguish the Elephant's conduct: either by a fortunate accident, or
intentionally, No. 16 was not displaced.

"The squadron of frigates obeyed the signal, and hauled off. That
brave officer, Captain Riou, was killed by a raking shot, when the
Amazon showed her stern to the Trekroner. He was sitting on a gun, was
encouraging his men, and had been wounded in the head by a splinter.
He had expressed himself grieved at being thus obliged to retreat, and
nobly observed, 'What will Nelson think of us?' His clerk was killed
by his side; and by another shot, several of the marines, while
hauling on the main-brace, shared the same fate. Riou then exclaimed,
'Come then, my boys, let us all die together!' The words were scarcely
uttered, when the fatal shot severed him in two. Thus, and in an
instant, was the British service deprived of one of its greatest
ornaments, and society of a character of singular worth, resembling
the heroes of romance." Fortunately for the British, not a
ship-of-the-line budged. Graves had indeed transmitted the order by
repeating it, but as he kept that for close action also flying, and
did not move himself, the line remained entir