Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/392

 3G2. 'lilE CAXXOXADE OF c n A p. XIII. The Aga- lueninon passing the Sanspareil. Shots excliaiigeJ with the ciiif hat- Uiiies. they gazed at the fust - sliifting flags, Lyons, Dacres, and Eden may liave, all of them, ex- pected with pain more warning, more caution, more hampering orders from the Commander- in-Chief; but perhaps Dundas now remembered his chilling instructions, and perceived that they were unfit for the guidance of a squadron stand- ing in for the forts, or again it may be that his Scots blood at last had got heated, as the Scots blood commonly does when the din of fighting begins. At all events, his signal bore no such import as to make it unwelcome to even the most ardent of captains. The signal was this : — ' Proceed and attack batteries.' Already the Agamemnon had cleared, or M-as clearing, for action ; and upon the appearance of the signal her speed was increased.* Presently, that, she might take her place in the van, the Agamemnon had to pass the Sanspareil. There was friendship between Lyons and Dacres, and the people of the Agamemnon, too, were united to those of the Sanspareil 1/y the bonds of a long - standing aflection. Therefore, whilst the two ships were abreast, the crew of each welcomed the other, and welcomed, with the same roar of cheers, the long-desired fight then beginning. When the ships passed under the guns of the clifl" batteries, some shots were exchanged, but at first with little effect. The main purpose of the fire from the ships whilst thus moving
 * To 40 revolutions.