swer signals! Nail mine to the mast!" Admiral Graves, who
was so situated that he could not discern what was done on board
the ELEPHANT, disobeyed Sir Hyde's signal in like manner; whether by
fortunate mistake, or by a like brave intention, has not been made
known. The other ships of the line, looking only to Nelson, continued
the action. The signal, however, saved Riou's little squadron, but
did not save its heroic leader. This squadron, which was nearest the
Commander-in-Chief, obeyed and hauled off. It had suffered severely in
its most unequal contest. For a long time the AMAZON had been firing,
enveloped in smoke, when Riou desired his men to stand fast, and let
the smoke clear off, that they might see what they were about. A fatal
order--for the Danes then got clear sight of her from the batteries,
and pointed their guns with such tremendous effect that nothing but
the signal for retreat saved this frigate from destruction. "What will
Nelson think of us?" was Riou's mournful exclamation when he unwillingly
drew off. He had been wounded in the head by a splinter, and was sitting
on a gun, encouraging his men, when, just as the AMAZON showed her stern
to the Trekroner battery, his clerk was killed by his side; and another
shot swept away several marines who were hauling in the main-brace.
"Come, then, my boys!" cried Riou; "let us die all together!" The words
had scarcely been uttered before a raking shot cut him in two. Except
it had been Nelson himself, the British navy could not have suffered a
severer loss.

The action continued along the line with unabated vigour on our side,
and with the most determined resolution on the part of the Danes. They
fought to great advantage, because most of the vessels in their line
of defence were without masts; the few which had any standing had their
top-masts struck, and the hulls could not be seen at intervals. The ISIS
must have been destroyed by the superior weight of her enemy's fire,
if Captain Inman, in the DESIREE frigate, had not judiciously taken a
situation which enabled him to rake the Dane, if the POLYPHEMUS had not
also relieved her. Both in the BELLONA and the ISIS many men were lost
by the bursting of their guns. The former ship was about forty years
old, and these guns were believed to be the same which she had first
taken to sea: they were, probably, originally faulty, for the fragments
were full of little air-holes. The BELLONA lost 75 men; the ISIS, 110;
the