as the "Redoubtable," against which she ran foul,
the anchor of the one striking the spare anchor of the other, and the
hooks and boom-irons getting intermixed or catching in the leash of the
sails, holding the two ships together. Again the starboard carronade was
fired, which cleared the French ship's gangway in a moment. At the
same time the "Victory's" larboard guns did fatal execution in the
"Santissima Trinidad," now engaged likewise. At length the "Redoubtable"
took fire, and the flames spread to the "Victory." The English
sailors put out their own fire, and threw buckets of water into the
"Redoubtable" to help the French to extinguish theirs. In the midst of
this terrific scene Nelson--the brave, undaunted Nelson--fell: a rifle
or musket-ball from the mizen-top of the "Redoubtable" passed through
him, and he fell on his knees on the very spot where his secretary had
before him breathed his last. "They have done for me at last," said
he to Hardy, who was anxiously bending over him, "my backbone is shot
through." He was carried down to the cockpit, which was crowded with
the wounded and the dying, and where it was too soon discovered that his
wound was mortal, the ball had entered his left shoulder, through the
forepart of the epaulette, and had lodged in his spine. In the meantime
the battle raged with fury. In the midst of the roar of cannon and the
shrieks of the wounded and the dying, the crew of the "Victory" ever
and anon by their shoutings announced that some ship of the enemy had
struck. On hearing their shouts, joy sparkled in the eyes of the
dying Nelson; and he sent for Captain Hardy to inquire how the battle
proceeded. It was some time before Hardy could leave the scene of
carnage on the quarter-deck; but on reaching the side of the dying
Nelson he informed him that twelve or fourteen of the enemy's ships had
struck, but that five of their van had tacked and shown an intention
of bearing down upon the "Victory," and that he had called two or three
ships round it to guard against the clanger. Hardy then returned to the
quarter-deck; but in less than an hour he returned, and congratulated
his dying friend on having obtained a brilliant and complete victory:
fourteen or fifteen of the enemy's ships, he said, were captured.
"That's well," replied Nelson; "but I bargained for twenty;" then in a
louder tone he exclaimed, "Anchor, Hardy, anchor!" Hardy suggested
that Admiral Collingwood would now take upon himse