nued it with greater
firmness. The ARGONAUTA and BAHAMA were defended till they had each lost
about four hundred men; the SAN JUAN NEPOMUCENO lost three hundred
and fifty. Often as the superiority of British courage has been proved
against France upon the seas, it was never more conspicuous than in this
decisive conflict. Five of our ships were engaged muzzle to muzzle with
five of the French. In all five the Frenchmen lowered their lower-deck
ports, and deserted their guns; while our men continued deliberately to
load and fire till they had made the victory secure.

Once, amidst his sufferings, Nelson had expressed a wish that he were
dead; but immediately the spirit subdued the pains of death, and
he wished to live a little longer, doubtless that he might hear the
completion of the victory which he had seen so gloriously begun. That
consolation, that joy, that triumph, was afforded him. He lived to know
that the victory was decisive; and the last guns which were fired at
the flying enemy were heard a minute or two before he expired. The ships
which were thus flying were four of the enemy's van, all French, under
Rear-Admiral Dumanoir. They had borne no part in the action; and now,
when they were seeking safety in flight, they fired not only into the
VICTORY and ROYAL SOVEREIGN as they passed, but poured their broadsides
into the Spanish captured ships; and they were seen to back their
topsails for the purpose of firing with more precision. The indignation
of the Spaniards at this detestable cruelty from their allies, for
whom they had fought so bravely, and so profusely bled, may well be
conceived. It was such that when, two days after the action, seven of
the ships which had escaped into Cadiz came out in hopes of re-taking
some of the disabled prizes, the prisoners in the ARGONAUTA, in a body,
offered their services to the British prize-master, to man the guns
against any of the French ships, saying, that if a Spanish ship came
alongside, they would quietly go below; but they requested that they
might be allowed to fight the French in resentment for the murderous
usage which they had suffered at their hands. Such was their
earnestness, and such the implicit confidence which could be placed
in Spanish honour, that the offer was accepted and they were actually
stationed at the lower-deck guns. Dumanoir and his squadron were not
more fortunate than the fleet from whose destruction they fled. They
fell in with Sir Richa