he 20th of October opened with fresh breezes from south-southwest and
heavy rains. At daybreak the British fleet was near the Straits'
mouth, between Capes Trafalgar and Spartel, unable to see anything,
but certain that, with the existing winds, the enemy could not have
anticipated it there. Blackwood's frigates, out of sight to the
northward, were dogging the path of the allies, of whose general
position they were certain, although the thick weather hid them from
observation. At 7 A.M. the frigate "Phoebe" signalled to Nelson that
the enemy bore north. With the wind as it was, and considering the
position of the land, they must be standing to the northwest, so that
the British fleet wore and steered the same course, keeping parallel
to the enemy and spreading lookouts in their direction. Soon after
noon, the weather clearing, Blackwood saw the combined fleets where he
believed them to be, under low sail, and so close that the "Euryalus"
went about immediately. At 1 P.M. he left the squadron in temporary
charge of a junior captain, and with his own ship kept away south to
speak the admiral. At two he sighted the main body, and at 3.20 was
near enough to send the telegraphic message, "The enemy appears
determined to push to the westward." "That," wrote Nelson in his
diary, "they shall _not_ do, if in the power of Nelson and Bronte to
prevent them," and he telegraphed back, "I rely upon your keeping
sight of the enemy." The frigates and lookout ships, he noted in his
journal, had so far discharged their duties most admirably, informing
him promptly of all the hostile movements; he was justified therefore
in the confidence that they would do as well in the night now
approaching.

While Blackwood was communicating, Nelson himself was much of the time
on the "Victory's" poop. Seeing there a number of midshipmen
assembled, he observed to them, "This day or to-morrow will be a
fortunate one for you, young gentlemen," alluding to their prospect of
promotion after a successful battle. The same day at dinner, he said
to some of the company, "To-morrow I will do that which will give you
younger gentlemen something to talk and think about for the rest of
your lives, but I shall not live to know about it myself;" and he
added that he expected to capture twenty to twenty-two of the hostile
fleet.[133] It may be inferred from this remark that by the dinner
hour, between three and five, he had become satisfied that the enemy
either wo