Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/376

346 Previous to the action fought off that island, Feb. 6, 1806, Captain Keats suspended to the mizen-stay a portrait of his late intimate friend Lord Nelson. There it remained unhurt, but was completely covered, as was Captain Keats himself, with the blood and brains of one of the boatswain’s mates. A few minutes before the action commenced, the band played “God save the King!” then came, “Off she goes!” and next, “Nelson of the Nile!” Never was enthusiasm greater than that of the Superb’s crew, who went to it literally with hand and heart. The enemy brought their two largest ships, l’Alexandre, and l’Imperiale, together, seemingly with a view to quiet the fire of the Superb, before any of the other ships could come up; but in this they were disappointed; for three broadsides from that vessel fortunately did such execution on board l’Alexandre, that she became quite unmanageable, and lost her station. The 3-decker was by this time within pistol-shot of the Superb, and apparently reserving her fire for her; but at this critical moment Rear-Admiral Cochrane, in the Northumberland, notwithstanding the small distance betwixt the Superb and l’Imperiale, gallantly ran in between them, and received the whole broadside of the largest ship in the French navy, several of the shot passing quite through the Northumberland into the Superb. The conflict then became general, and terminated most honorably for the British; for although the enemy were a little inferior, let us bear in mind that they were entirely annihilated in less than two hours.

“To speak individually of the conduct of any one,” says Sir John T. Duckworth in his official letter, “would be injurious to all, for all were equally animated with the same zealous ardour in support of their King and Country: yet possessed of these feelings, I cannot be silent, without injustice to the firm and manly support for which I was indebted to Captain Keats, and the effect that the system of discipline and good order in which I found the Superb must ever produce; and the pre-eminence of British seamen could never be more highly conspicuous than in this contest.”

The loss sustained by the Superb amounted to 6 killed and 56 wounded. Captain Keats, together with his brother 