Page:Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson.djvu/14

, in his Majesty's ship the Prince of Wales, parted company with the Fleet, on his return to England. His departure Lord had some days before evinced an anxious wish to procrastinate, and was heard that very day to declare his firm belief that the Combined Fleets would be at sea in the course of ten days or a fortnight.<ref left England in a bad state of health, with which he had been afflicted during the last twelve months; but was now in a progressive state of amendment. Lord asked the Surgeon this day, "how long he thought it might be before Captain  perfect recovery;" and on the Surgeon's answering that "he hoped not more than a fortnight,"—"Ah!" replied, "before a fortnight the Enemy will be at sea, the business will be done, and we shall be looking out for England."

the 18th the Donegal, Captain, left the Fleet for Gibraltar. On the 19th his Majesty's ships the Colossus, Mars, Defence, and Agamemnon, formed the cordon of communication with the frigates in shore: the Fleet was lying to.