ring us to
breakfast, and as soon as it was over, the still more welcome one to
bear down on the enemy. The next signal thrown out was for each ship to
steer for and independently engage the ship opposite to her in the
enemy's line, the _Caesar_ leading the van. The _Bellerophon_, or Billy
Ruffian, as she used to be called, followed her; next came the
_Leviathan_. We were about the thirteenth in line. The ships of both
fleets were carrying single-reefed topsails. Of those of the French,
some were lying to, and others backing and filling to preserve their
stations. We were steering about north-west, with a fresh breeze south
by west, and going little more than five knots an hour.

We were standing on, every ship keeping regularly in line, when what was
the disgust of the true men on board the Culloden to hear the captain
give the order to back the fore and main-topsails, three other ships
having done the same, though we were not even yet within range of the
enemy's guns. We soon, however, saw the Admiral speaking with his
signals, and ordering us to make more sail. Our brave old chief was at
the same time setting topgallant sails, and letting fall his foresail in
order that the _Queen Charlotte_ might be first through the enemy's
line. In a short time that noble ship was engaged singlehanded with
three of the enemy, for neither the _Gibraltar_ nor the _Brunswick_
were near enough to aid her. She was opposed to one French
hundred-and-twenty gun ship, and two of eighty guns. In a short time,
down came her fore-topmast, followed shortly afterwards by her
main-topmast, while so damaged were her lower yards and rigging, that
she was almost unmanageable. Notwithstanding this, she kept blazing
away, till she beat off the two eighty gun ships, which made their
escape, and had now only the biggest opposed to her.

The action had now become general, a few of our ships had cut their way
through the French line, and engaged the enemy to leeward; the remainder
hauled up to windward and opened their fire, some at a long, others at a
more effectual distance. I am sorry to say the _Culloden_ was among the
former. Perhaps our captain thought, with his undisciplined crew, that
it would be hazardous to venture alongside an enemy's ship. He was
wrong if he thought so. Bad as our fellows were, we had enough good men
to load and fire the guns and the others were able at all events to haul
them in and run them out again. It w