ISOj.] 



Memoirs of Lord Nelfon. 



and, inconfequenceofnew and more correct 

 infoimation, determined once more to vifit 

 Alexandii:!, which he defciieti on the firft 

 of Auguft at noon. The esiemy's fleet 

 was fird di'CQvered bv Captain Hood, in 

 the Zealous, who immediately communi- 

 cated by fig'al that it confiftrd of tl^e fol- 

 lowing fliips, &c., iyiiii; at anchor in a 

 line of battle in Aboujcir bay : 



1. Le Guenier, 74.gnns, 700 men. 



2. Le Conquerant, 74. gnus, 700 men. 



3. Le Spartiate, 7^]. pn.T!, 700 men. 



4. L'AquiJon, 74 guns, 700 men. 



5. Le Souveraiti Peuple, 74 puns, 700 

 men. 



6. Le Fiark'in, Rear Admiral BIr.nquet, 

 80 pun>, 800 men. 



7. L'Oriei', Admiral Beuix, Comman- 

 der- in-Chief, Captain Ca.'ia Bianca, 120 

 guns, 1010 men. 



8. Le Fonant; 80 guns, 800 men. 



9. L'Hei:r uy, 74 guns. 700 men. 

 JO. Le riinole n, 74 guns, 700 men. 

 J I. Lc M rem.-, 74 guns, 700 min. 



12. Le G 'iiiiaur>-,c Tell. Rtar-Admiral 

 Vjlleneuve, 80 guns, 800 men. 



13. Lc Gcnercux, 7.5. ^uns, 700 men. 



FRIGATt: . 



1. Le Diane, 48 guns, 300 men. 



2. Le Jiiifice, 44 guns, 300 men. 

 5. L'Ar'emifc, 36 guns, 250 men. 

 4. La berieuie, 36 guns, 250 ir.en. 



This fifmiriable fleet appeared to be 

 mo^r d III a romp-.ft line of ba tie, (up- 

 ported by a b.Uteiy cf guns and mortars 

 on an ifl -i d n (heii van. while their flanks 

 were H'er^th^ned by gun-bo.-ts. 



Alth' iigK the wind blew fre(h, and the 

 day was !ai fpent, yet the Ailmir.il made 

 the figiial for bittle, and fignifit-d at the 

 lime time that it was his inVntion to at- 

 tack ihe enrmy's van and cenie as it lay 

 at anchor, afconling to the ;lan already 

 communica cd by him to the rtfpeitive 

 Captains. 



The Britifli fleet, every rtiip of which 

 founded it way -is it p; (Cc. • deil, (iood in ; 

 and Sir Hor t''; '■lemg ftruck w'th ti.e idea 

 that wheie there wis loom lor one flrp to 

 fwing there wa>. opportunity for ano'her 

 to ai'.chor. mea ures were tak r for carry- 

 ing this idea inio efft-cV, notwiihft nrling 

 the Cull 'en Haj grouiidert </ii Hequier 

 Illaiid. Tile Golia-h ai.il Zealous, toge- 

 ther with he Oii.n, the Audaciou.s, and 

 the Tlitleus, led ir.fiile, and received a 

 moll tremendous li e tiom the van of the 

 fleet, as well a.f tlir bi'tieiics on ftiore, 

 while tie V.n giiaid anchored jM the out- 

 lidc of the enemy, wi bin halt .1 pirtol ftiot 

 ol Le Spaitiatc. The Minotaur, De- 



439 



fence, Bellerophon, Majeftic, Swiftfure, 

 and Alexander, came up in fucceflion ; 

 qnd Captain Thompfon of the Leaiider, 

 mikirg lip in feani»n(hip for the defi- 

 ciency of a fifty-gun (hip in point of me- 

 tal, dropped htr anchor athwart the 

 hawfe of Le Franklin, an eighty-gun fhip, 

 in fuch a ma'^erly manner, as to annoy 

 both herai i L'Orient. 



Notwithflanding the dailcne.'s that foon 

 enfued, Lc Gnenier was dilmafted in the 

 courfe of a f--w minutes, wl^ile the twi, 

 tight yet remained ; Le Conquerant and 

 Le Spaniate were alio foon reduced to a 

 liin-.:ar ftsie ; three mo-e, L'Aquilon, Le 

 Souveiain Pcuple, and Le Spirtiate, fur- 

 renderrd; foon alter which the Adinirars 

 (hip\ L'Orient, wss difcovcred to be on 

 file, and the flnmes burft forth with fuch 

 rapidity, that great apprehenfions were 

 enierHined not 1.1. ly lir her fa!erv, hut 

 alfo that of f'lch (hm.s of ihcBrJtiih fleet 

 as were in her immedia'e vicinity. 



Sir Horatio Nelfon, who had retired be- 

 low in confrquence of a wound received 

 during^the aifion, no (boner received in- 

 telligence of th'S alarming event, than he 

 came upon the dtck, ami, with that inborn 

 humanity which is the belt characferilfic 

 of a hero, bethought h m of the mod: 

 likely means to favr the lives of as many 

 of ihe enemy as pcffible. The only boat 

 in a condi'ion to lvv;m w.is therefore im- 

 inediHtely difpatched fiom the Admiral's 

 fiiip, and th; C\'mmanders of others fol- 

 lowing the example, about feventy lives 

 were faved ; and many more would have 

 been refcued from death, had not the vef- 

 fel alluded to blown up liiddcnly with a 

 moit tremendous explolion. 



J.i ihe mean time the firing continued, 

 with the inteiv.-il of this awiul moment 

 only cxc!epted j and the viilory h:iving 

 been now lecured in the van, fuch (Jii;;s as* 

 were not dil.ibled boie down upon thofe of 

 the enemy that had not been in the en- 

 gapenien'. 



When lite d-iwn developed the frene of 

 this terrible co:)fli.''l, only two fail of the 

 line* were difcovered witli their colours 

 flying, all ihe i\lt having rtruck their en- 

 ligns ! Thelt", conlcious of tiieir ilanger, 

 togetiier w th two frigates, cut their 

 cat>tes in the couilcof tne morning, and 

 flood out to lea. 



Alter this fign^l viftory, the viftorious 

 Comminler loll no time in returning 

 thanks to the Sipreme f^c'ng for hi fuc- 

 cefs. He accordingly ifliutl the following 

 notice : 



•'Le Guillijumc Tell and Le Centreux. 



" lVll;lWOK.A^Dl;.Vt, 



