rogress. Anything much less useful than a lee lower studding-sail is
hard to imagine, but by this time the admiral was getting very
restive. "About ten o'clock," says Blackwood, "Lord Nelson's anxiety
to close with the enemy became very apparent: he frequently remarked
that they put a good face upon it; but always quickly added: 'I'll
give them such a dressing as they never had before.'"

Seeing that the "Temeraire" could not pass the "Victory" in time to
lead into the hostile order, unless the flagship gave way, Blackwood,
feeling perhaps that he might wear out his own privilege, told Hardy
he ought to say to the admiral that, unless the "Victory" shortened
sail, the other ships could not get into place; but Hardy naturally
demurred. In any event, it was not just the sort of proposition that
the captain of the ship would wish to make, and it was very doubtful
how Nelson might take it. This the latter soon showed, however; for,
as the "Temeraire" painfully crawled up, and her bows doubled on the
"Victory's" quarter, he hailed her, and speaking as he always did with
a slight nasal intonation, said: "I'll thank you, Captain Harvey, to
keep in your proper station, which is astern of the Victory." The same
concern for the admiral's personal safety led the assembled officers
to comment anxiously upon the conspicuous mark offered by his blaze of
decorations, knowing as they did that the enemy's ships swarmed with
soldiers, that among them were many sharpshooters, and that the action
would be close. None, however, liked to approach him with the
suggestion that he should take any precaution. At length the surgeon,
whose painful duty it was a few hours later to watch over the sad
fulfilment of his apprehensions, said that he would run the risk of
his Lordship's displeasure; but before he could find a fitting
opportunity to speak, a shot flew over the "Victory," and the admiral
directed all not stationed on deck to go to their quarters. No remark
therefore was made; but it is more likely that Nelson would have
resented the warning than that he would have heeded it.

The French and Spanish fleets, being neither a homogeneous nor a
well-exercised mass, experienced even greater difficulty than the
British in forming their array; and the matter was to them of more
consequence, for, as the defensive has an advantage in the careful
preparations he may make, so, if he fail to accomplish them, he has
little to compensate for the loss of