Page:Battles of the Nile and Alexandria.pdf/5

 doubling the line, and taking up a position, with part of his fleet, inside between them and the land; where, he rightly judged, he would find them altogether unprepared, and the fact turned out as he anticipated. Never dreaming that such a manœuvre would be attempted, or that any attack would be made but on the off-side, to which the greater part of their guns bad been brought. The enemy had left the other nearly defenceless. As the British squadron bore down on the French fleet, they were assailed by a shower of shot and shells from batteries placed on an island which commanded the passage, between the end of the enemy's line, and the shore; besides this, they were also exposed to a tremendous fire from the starboard side of the French ships, within half gunsshot distance.

This dreadful salute was received in silence by the British, who were coolly employed aloft, in each ship, in furling sails, and below in tending the braces, and making ready for anchoring. The first ship that had the honour of leading the way, in rounding the enemy's line, was the Goliah; a 74, Captain Foley, who having gained the inside of Le Guerrier, also a 74, the first ship in the line, he poured into her a most destructive broadside. It was originally Foley's intention to have singled out this ship as his oppenent, but having drifted from the proper position, he dropped upon her neighbour the Conquerant, anchored by her stern, and in ten minutes shot away her mainmast: The Zealous, another 74, Captain Hood, who followed close in the wake of the Goliah, took up the station which Foley intended to have occupied,-engaged the Guerrier, and in twelve minutes totally disabled her.

The third ship which doubled the enemy's line