263 



THE DEATH OF NELSON. 



As yet, all prospered ; everything- was going on well 

 and leading to a certain victory. Nelson was walk- 

 ing the deck, and, in spite of the quick eyes of the 

 Frenchmen aloft who had shot Adair, they bad not 

 distinguished him. He wore that day his evcry-day 

 dress. Some people have since said that he desired 

 his stars to be placed on his coat ; but they are 

 wrong : on all his coats he had four orders emhroi- 

 dered, and Nelson was not a likely man to order 

 them to be picked out because he was going into ac- 

 tion. The Redoubtable having ceased firing her 

 great guns, was considered to have struck: she had 

 no flag up, nor had she ever hoisted one. I wish I 

 had been alongside of the signal-man — I think he 

 would have shown it for a moment. Nelson desired 

 that the firing should be directed upon the Beaucen^ 

 taure, and from that moment the firing from the tops 

 of the Redoiitable increased. I thought 1 had got 

 into a parcel of birds* nests, the balls came whistling 

 about me so fast, and then I thought the Frenchmen 

 had mistaken me for Lord Nelson. 



1 was standing on the starboard side of the poop, 

 close to the ladder, watching the admiral, for I could 

 not keep my eyes off him, when I saw him fall. I 

 never felt the splinter which a moment afterwards 

 grazed my leg; I never touched one of the stops of 

 the ladder, for 1 made but one leap, and I was the 

 first man alongside of him, Hardy was the next. 



'* I hope it is not mortal,'' he said. 



Nelson had fallen on his face, and I knelt down to 

 lift him up, when he said, "They have done for me- 

 at last, Hardy." 



" I hope not, my lord," he replied ; and his heart 

 was too full to say more. 



"Yes," replied Nelson, ''they have shot my back- 

 bone thraugh." 



Mr. Burke, the purser, and myself, carried him* 

 below, and 1 saw the admiral cover his face with his 

 handkerchief, in order that the crew might not know 

 him. That was of no use, it was along the decks in 

 a minute ; who could keep that a secret wlmt every 



