to chance. Nothing is sure in a sea-fight; shot
will carry away the masts and yards of friends as well as of foes; but
I look with confidence to a victory before the van of the enemy could
succour their rear; and then that the British fleet would most of them
be ready to receive their twenty sail of the line, or to pursue them
should they endeavour to make off. If the van of the enemy tack, the
captured ships must run to leeward of the British fleet; if the enemy
wear, the British place themselves between the enemy and the captured
and disabled British ships; and should the enemy close I have no fear
for the result. The second in command will, in all possible things,
direct the movements of his line by keeping them as compact as the
nature of the circumstances will admit. Captains are to look to their
particular line as their rallying point; but in case signals cannot be
seen clearly or understood, no captain can do very wrong if he places
his ship alongside that of an enemy."

[Illustration: 317.jpg YARMOUTH: NELSON'S MONUMENT]

At length the day which Nelson had long looked for arrived. On the 19th,
signal was made by the "Mars," first, that the enemy were coming out
of port, and then that their fleet was at sea. On that day they were
narrowly watched by the British fleet, as they were through the night;
and on the morning of the 20th the combined fleets, consisting of
thirty-three sail of the line and seven large frigates, were seen ahead
in a close line of battle, on the starboard tack, about twelve miles to
leeward, and standing to the south. On board the enemy had four thousand
troops, and numerous Tyrolese riflemen were dispersed through the ships.
The British admiral had with him only twenty-seven sail of the line and
four frigates; six ships of the line having been dispatched to Gibraltar
for provisions and water. With this force he resolved to attack
the enemy on the next day; and soon after daylight he called Captain
Blackwood on board the "Victory," the last words he uttered to whom
were:--"God bless you, Blackwood; I shall never see you more." He had
a presentiment that, while he was certain of victory, it would,
nevertheless, be gained at the price of his own life. Yet, with this
prospect before him, appalling as it must have been to his mind, he was
calm and serene. His whole attention was fixed on Villeneuve, who was
wearing to form the line in close order upon the larboard tack, thereby
to bring Cadiz