226 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



received a shot in his mouth, and fell dead. Both 

 the midshipmen then fired, at the same time, and 

 the fellow dropped in the top. When they took 

 possession of the prize, they went into the mizzen- 

 top, and found him dead ; with one ball through 

 his head, and another through his breast. The 

 Redoubtable struck within twenty minutes after 

 the fatal shot had been fired from her. During 

 that time she had been twice on fire — in her fore 

 chains and in her forecastle. The French, as they 

 had done in other battles, made use, in this, of 

 fireballs and other combustibles — implements of 

 destruction which other nations, from a sense of 

 honour and humanity, have laid aside — which add 

 to the sufferings of the wounded, without deter- 

 mining the issue of the combat — which none but 

 the cruel would employ, and which never can be 

 successful against the brave. Once they succeeded 

 in setting fire, from the Redoubtable, to some ropes 

 and canvas on the Victory's booms. The cry ran 

 through the ship, and reached the cockpit ; but 

 even this dreadful cry produced no confusion : the 

 men displayed that perfect self-possession in danger 

 by which English seamen are characterised : they 

 extinguished the flames on board their own ship, 

 and then hastened to extinguish them in the 

 enemy, by throwing buckets of water from the 

 gangway. When the Redoubtable had struck, it 

 was not practicaljle to board her from the Victory; 



