ROBERT SOUTHEY 227 



for, though the two ships touched, tlie upper works 

 of both fell in so much, that there was a great 

 space between their gangways ; and she could not 

 be boarded from the lower or middle decks, be- 

 cause her ports were down. Some of our men 

 went to Lieutenant Quilliam, and offered to swim 

 under her bows and get up there : but it was 

 thought unfit to hazard brave lives in this manner. 

 What our men would have done from gallantry, 

 some of the crew of the Santissima Trinidad did 

 to save themselves. Unable to stand the tremend- 

 ous fire of the Victory^ whose larboard guns played 

 against this great four-decker, and not knowing 

 how else to escape them, nor where else to betake 

 themselves for protection, many of them leapt 

 overboard, and swam to the Victory; and were 

 actually helped up her sides by the English during 

 the action. The .Spaniards began the battle with 

 less vivacity than their unworthy allies, but they 

 continued it with greater firmness. The A n^onnu/a 

 and BtiAiintn were defended till they had each lost 

 about four huntlred men : the .SV. /uti/t Nepomu- 

 ceno lost three hundred and fifty. Often as the 

 superiority of British courage has been proved 

 against France ujKin the seas, it was never n)<;re 

 conspicuous than in this decisive conflict. Kivc of 

 our ships were engaged muzzle to muzzle with five 

 of the French. In all five the Frenchmen lowered 

 their lower-deck |>oils, and deserted their guns; 



