ing any of the sternmost line-of-battle ships to do what struck
me as best." While thus waiting, the captains accompanied the admiral
in an inspection which he made of the decks and batteries of the
flagship. He addressed the crew at their several quarters, cautioned
them against firing a single shot without being sure of their object,
and to the officers he expressed himself as highly satisfied with the
arrangements made.

Meanwhile the two fleets were forming, as best they could with the
scanty breeze, the order in which each meant to meet the shock of
battle. The British could not range themselves in regular columns
without loss of time that was not to be thrown away. They advanced
rather in two elongated groups, all under full sail, even to
studding-sails on both sides, the place of each ship being determined
chiefly by her speed, or, perhaps, by some fortuitous advantage of
position when the movement began. The great point was to get the heads
of the columns into action as soon as possible, to break up the
enemy's order. That done, those which followed could be trusted to
complete the business on the general lines prescribed by Nelson.
Collingwood's ship, the "Royal Sovereign," being but a few days out
from home, and freshly coppered, easily took the lead in her own
division. After her came the "Belleisle," also a recent arrival off
Cadiz, but an old Mediterranean cruiser which had accompanied Nelson
in the recent chase to the West Indies. Upon these two ships, as upon
the heads of all columns, fell the weight of destruction from the
enemy's resistance.

The "Victory," always a fast ship, had likewise little difficulty in
keeping her place at the front. Blackwood, having failed to get Nelson
on board his own frigate, and realizing the exposure inseparable from
the position of leader, ventured, at about half-past nine, when still
six miles from the enemy, to urge that one or two ships should be
permitted to precede the "Victory." Nelson gave a conditional
assent--"Let them go," if they can. The "Temeraire," a three-decker,
being close behind, was hailed to go ahead, and endeavored to do so;
but at the same moment the admiral gave an indication of how little
disposed he was to yield either time or position. The lee lower
studding-sail happening to be badly set, the lieutenant of the
forecastle had it taken in, meaning to reset it; which Nelson
observing, ran forward and rated him severely for delaying the ship's
p