Page:Memoirs of the life and gallant services of Admiral Lord Nelson.pdf/13

 of Admiral Lord Nelſon. 13 fary number of our men were employed aloft in fur- ling fails, and on deck in hauling the braces, &c. preparatory to our calling anchor. As ſoon as this took place, a moſt animated fire opened from the Vangaurd, which ſhip covered the approach of thoſe in the rear, which were following in a cloſe line. The Minotaur, Defence, Bellerophon, Majeſtic, Swiftſure, and Alexander, 'came up in ſucceſſion, and paſſing within hail of the Vanguard, took their reſpective ſtations oppoſed to the enemy's lioe. 'AH our ſhips anchored by the ſtern, by which means the Britiſh line became inverted from van to rear. Captain Thomſon, of the Leander, of fifty guns, moſt judiciouſly dropped his anchor athwart hauſe of Le Franklin, raking her with great ſucceſs, the ſhot from the Leander's broad-ſide which paſſed that ſhip all ſtriking L'Orient, the flag-ſhip of the French commander in chief. The action commenced at ſun- ſet, which was at thirty-one minutes paſt ſix P. M. with an ardour and vigour which it is impoſible to deſcribe. At about ſeven o'clock total durkneſs had come on; but the whole hemiſphere was, at inter- vals, illuminated by the fire of the hoſtile fleets. At ten minutes afer nine,a fire was obſerved on board L'Orient, the French Admiral's ſhip, which circum- ſtauce Captain Berry immediately communicated to the Admiral, why, though ſuffering ſeverely from a wound, was concerned for the danger of ſo many lives, and ordered Captain Berry to make every prac- ticable exertion. The cannon ding was partially kept up to leeward of the centre till about ten o'clock, when L'Orient blew up with a moſt tremendous ex- ploſion. An awful pauſe and death-like ſilence for about three minutes enſued, when the wrack of the maſts yards, &c. &c. which had been carried to a vaſt height, fell down into the water, and on board the ſurrounding ſhips After this awful ſcene, the firing recommenced with the ſhips to leeward of the centre