r the quarter-deck
rail, and said they surrendered. It was not long before he was on the
quarter-deck, where the Spanish captain presented to him his sword,
and told him the admiral was below dying of his wounds. There, on the
quarter-deck of an enemy's first-rate, he received the swords of the
officers, giving them, as they were delivered, one by one to William
Fearney, one of his old AGAMEMNONs, who, with the utmost coolness, put
them under his arm, "bundling them up," in the lively expression of
Collingwood, "with as much composure as he would have made a faggot,
though twenty-two sail of their line were still within gunshot." One of
his sailors came up, and with an Englishman's feeling took him by the
hand, saying he might not soon have such another place to do it in, and
he was heartily glad to see him there. Twenty-four of the CAPTAIN's men
were killed, and fifty-six wounded; a fourth part of the loss sustained
by the whole squadron falling upon this ship. Nelson received only a few
bruises.

The Spaniards had still eighteen or nineteen ships which had suffered
little or no injury: that part of the fleet which had been separated
from the main body in the morning was now coming up, and Sir John
Jervis made signal to bring to. His ships could not have formed without
abandoning those which they had captured, and running to leeward: the
CAPTAIN was lying a perfect wreck on board her two prizes; and many of
the other vessels were so shattered in their masts and rigging as to
be wholly unmanageable. The Spanish admiral meantime, according to
his official account, being altogether undecided in his own opinion
respecting the state of the fleet, inquired of his captains whether it
was proper to renew the action; nine of them answered explicitly that it
was not; others replied that it was expedient to delay the business.
The PELAYO and the PRINCE CONQUISTADOR were the only ships that were for
fighting.

As soon as the action was discontinued, Nelson went on board the
admiral's ship. Sir John Jervis received him on the quarter-deck, took
him in his arms, and said he could not sufficiently thank him. For this
victory the commander-in-chief was rewarded with the title of Earl St.
Vincent. Nelson, who before the action was known in England had been
advanced to the rank of rear-admiral, had the Order of the Bath given
him. The sword of the Spanish rear-admiral, which Sir John Jervis
insisted upon his keeping, he presented to t