the life of horatio lord nelson-第19部分

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prisoners　at　Porto　Ferrajo；　in　exchange　for　whom　he　received　his　own　men　who　had　been　taken　in　the　prize。

General　de　Burgh；　who　commanded　at　the　Isle　of　Elba；　did　not　think　himself　authorised　to　abandon　the　place　till　he　had　received　specific　instructions　from　England　to　that　effect；　professing　that　he　was　unable　to　decide　between　the　contradictory　orders　of　government；　or　to　guess　at　what　their　present　intentions　might　be；　but　he　said；　his　only　motive　for　urging　delay　in　this　measure　arose　from　a　desire　that　his　own　conduct　might　be　properly　sanctioned；　not　from　any　opinion　that　Porto　Ferrajo　ought　to　be　retained。　But　Naples　having　made　peace；　Sir　John　Jervis　considered　his　business　with　Italy　as　concluded；　and　the　protection　of　Portugal　was　the　point　to　which　he　was　now　instructed　to　attend。　Nelson；　therefore；　whose　orders　were　perfectly　clear　and　explicit；　withdrew　the　whole　naval　establishment　from　that　station；　leaving　the　transports　victualled；　and　so　arranged　that　all　the　troops　and　stores　could　be　embarked　in　three　days。　He　was　now　about　to　leave　the　Mediterranean。　Mr。　Drake；　who　had　been　our　minister　at　Genoa；　expressed　to　him；　on　this　occasion；　the　very　high　opinion　which　the　allies　entertained　of　his　conspicuous　merit；　adding；　that　it　was　impossible　for　any　one；　who　had　the　honour　of　co…operating　with　him；　not　to　admire　the　activity；　talents；　and　zeal　which　he　had　so　eminently　and　constantly　displayed。　In　fact；　during　this　long　course　of　services　in　the　Mediterranean；　the　whole　of　his　conduct　had　exhibited　the　same　zeal；　the　same　indefatigable　energy；　the　same　intuitive　judgment；　the　same　prompt　and　unerring　decision　which　characterised　his　after…career　of　glory。　His　name　was　as　yet　hardly　known　to　the　English　public；　but　it　was　feared　and　respected　throughout　Italy。　A　letter　came　to　him；　directed　〃Horatio　Nelson；　Genoa；〃　and　the　writer；　when　he　was　asked　how　he　could　direct　it　so　vaguely；　replied；　〃Sir；　there　is　but　one　Horatio　Nelson　in　the　world。〃　At　Genoa；　in　particular；　where　he　had　so　long　been　stationed；　and　where　the　nature　of　his　duty　first　led　him　to　continual　disputes　with　the　government；　and　afterwards　compelled　him　to　stop　the　trade　of　the　port；　he　was　equally　respected　by　the　doge　and　by　the　people；　for；　while　he　maintained　the　rights　and　interests　of　Great　Britain　with　becoming　firmness；　he　tempered　the　exercise　of　power　with　courtesy　and　humanity　wherever　duty　would　permit。　〃Had　all　my　actions；〃　said　he；　writing　at　this　time　to　his　wife；　〃been　gazetted；　not　one　fortnight　would　have　passed；　during　the　whole　war；　without　a　letter　from　me。　One　day　or　other　I　will　have　a　long　GAZETTE　to　myself。　I　feel　that　such　an　opportunity　will　be　given　me。　I　cannot；　if　I　am　in　the　field　of　glory；　be　kept　out　of　sight；　wherever　there　is　anything　to　be　done；　there　Providence　is　sure　to　direct　my　steps。〃

These　hopes　and　anticipations　were　soon　to　be　fulfilled。　Nelson's　mind　had　long　been　irritated　and　depressed　by　the　fear　that　a　general　action　would　take　place　before　he　could　join　the　fleet。　At　length　he　sailed　from　Porto　Ferrajo　with　a　convoy　for　Gibraltar；　and　having　reached　that　place；　proceeded　to　the　westward　in　search　of　the　admiral。　Off　the　mouth　of　the　Straits　he　fell　in　with　the　Spanish　fleet；　and　on　the　13th　of　February　reaching　the　station　off　Cape　St。　Vincent；　communicated　this　intelligence　to　Sir　John　Jervis。　He　was　now　directed　to　shift　his　broad　pendant　on　board　the　CAPTAIN；　seventy…four；　Captain　R。W。　Miller；　and　before　sunset　the　signal　was　made　to　prepare　for　action；　and　to　keep；　during　the　night；　in　close　order。　At　daybreak　the　enemy　were　in　sight。　The　British　force　consisted　of　two　ships　of　one　hundred　guns；　two　of　　ninety…eight；　two　of　ninety；　eight　of　seventy…　four；　and　one　sixty…four；…fifteen　of　the　line　in　all；　with　four　frigates；　a　sloop；　and　a　cutter。　The　Spaniards　had　one　four…decker；　of　one　hundred　and　thirty…six　guns；　six　three…deckers；　of　one　　hundred　and　twelve；　two　eighty…four；　eighteen　seventy…fourin　all；　twenty…seven　ships　of　the　line；　with　ten　frigates　and　a　brig。　Their　admiral；　D。　Joseph　de　Cordova；　had　learnt　from　an　American　on　the　5th；　that　the　English　had　only　nine　ships；　which　was　indeed　the　case　when　his　informer　had　seen　them；　for　a　reinforcement　of　five　ships　from　England；　under　Admiral　Parker；　had　not　then　joined；　and　the　CULLODEN　had　parted　company。　Upon　this　information　the　Spanish　commander；　instead　of　going　into　Cadiz；　as　was　his　intention　when　he　sailed　from　Carthagena；　deter…　mined　to　seek　an　enemy　so　inferior　in　force；　and　relying；　with　fatal　confidence；　upon　the　American　account；　he　suffered　his　ships　to　remain　too　far　dispersed；　and　in　some　disorder。　When　the　morning　of　the　14th　broke；　and　discovered　the　English　fleet；　a　fog　for　some　time　concealed　their　number。　That　fleet　had　heard　their　signal…guns　during　the　night；　the　weather　being　fine　though　thick　and　hazy；　soon　after　daylight　they　were　seen　very　much　scattered；　while　the　British　ships　were　in　a　compact　little　body。　The　look…out　ship　of　the　Spaniards；　fancying　that　her　signal　was　disregarded　because　so　little　notice　seemed　to　be　taken　of　it；　made　another　signal；　that　the　English　force　consisted　of　forty　sail　of　the　line。　The　captain　afterwards　said　he　did　this　to　rouse　the　admiral；　it　had　the　effect　of　perplexing　him　and　alarming　the　whole　fleet。　The　absurdity　of　such　an　act　shows　what　was　the　state　of　the　Spanish　navy　under　that　miserable　government　by　which　Spain　was　so　long　oppressed　and　degraded；　and　finally　betrayed。　In　reality；　the　general　incapacity　of　the　naval　officers　was　so　well　known；　that　in　a　pas…　quinade；　which　about　this　time　appeared　at　Madrid；　wherein　the　different　orders　of　the　state　were　advertised　for　sale；　the　greater　part　of　the　sea…officers；　with　all　their　equipments；　were　offered　as　a　gift；　and　it　was　added；　that　any　person　who　would　please　to　take　them；　should　receive　a　handsome　gratuity。　When　the　probability　that　Spain　would　take　part　in　the　war；　as　an　ally　of　France；　was　first　contemplated；　Nelson　said　that　their　fleet；　if　it　were　no　better　than　when　it　acted　in　alliance　with　us；　would　〃soon　be　done　for。〃

Before　the　enemy　could　form　a　regular　order　of　battle；　Sir　J。　Jervis；　by　carrying　a　press　of　sail；　came　up　with　them；　passed　through　their　fleet；　then　tacked；　and　thus　cut　off　nine　of　their　ships　from　the　main　body。　These　ships　attempted　to　form　on　the　larboard　tack；　either　with　a　design　of　passing　through　the　British　line；　or　to　leeward　of　it；　and　thus　rejoining　their　friends。　Only　one　of　them　succeeded　in　this　attempt；　and　that　only　because　she　was　so　covered　with　smoke　that　her　intention　was　not　discovered　till　she　had　reached　the　rear：　the　others　were　so　warmly　received；　that　they　put　about；　took　to　flight；　and　did　not　appear　again　in　the　action　to　its　close。　The　admiral　was　now　able　to　direct　his　attention　to　the　enemy's　main　body；　which　was　still　superior　in　number　to　his　whole　fleet；　and　greatly　so　in　weight　of　metal。　He　made　signal　to　tack　in　succession。　Nelson；　whose　station　was　in　the　rear　of　the　British　line；　perceived　that　the　Spaniards　were　bearing　up　before　the　wind；　with　an　intention　of　forming　their　line；　going　large；　and　joining　their　separated　ships；　or　else　of　getting　off　without　an　engagement。　To　prevent　either　of　these　schemes；　he　disobeyed　the　signal　without　a　moment's　hesitation：　and　ordered　his　ship　to　be　wore。　This　at　once　brought　him　into　action　with　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD；　one　hundred　and　thirty…six；　the　SAN　JOSEPH；　one　hundred　and　twelve；　the　　SALVADOR　DEL　MUNDO；　one　hundred　and　twelve；　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　eighty；　the　　SAN　ISIDRO；　seventy…four；　another　seventy…four；　and　another　first…rate。　Troubridge；　in　the　CULLODEN；　immediately　joined；　and　most　nobly　supported　him；　and　for　nearly　an　hour　did　the　CULLODEN　and　CAPTAIN　maintain　what　Nelson　called　〃this　apparently；　but　not　really　unequal　contest；〃such　was　the　advantage　of　skill　and　discipline；　and　the　confidence　which　brave　men　derive　from　them。　The　BLENHEIM　then　passing　between　them　and　the　enemy；　gave　them　a　respite；　and　poured　in　her　fire　upon　the　Spaniards。　The　SALVADOR　DEL　MUNDO　and　SAN　ISIDRO　dropped　astern；　and　were　fired　into　in　a　masterly　style　by　the　EXCELLENT；　Captain　Collingwood。　The　SAN　ISIDRO　struck；　and　Nelson　thought　that　the　SALVADOR　struck　also。　〃But　Collingwood；〃　says　he；　〃disdaining　the　parade　of　taking　possession　of　beaten　enemies；　most　gallantly　pushed　up；　with　every　sail　set；　to　save　his　old　friend　and　messmate；　who　was　to　appearance　in　a　critical　situation；〃　for　the　CAPTAIN　was　at　this　time　actually　fired　upon　by　three　first…ratesby　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　and　by　a　seventy…four；　within　about　pistol…shot　of　that　vessel。　The　BLENHEIM　was　ahead；　the　CULLODEN　crippled　and　astern。　Collingwood　ranged　up；　and　hauling　up　his　mainsail　just　astern；　passed　within　ten　feet　of　the　SAN　NICOLAS；　giving　her　a　most　tremendous　fire；　then　passed　on　for　the　SANTISSIMA　TRINIDAD。　The　SAN　NICOLAS　luffing　up；　the　SAN　JOSEPH　fell　on　board　her；　and　Nelson　resumed　his　station　abreast　of　them；　and　close　alongside。　The　CAPTAIN　was　now　incapable　of　further　service；　either　in　the　line　or　in　chase：　she　had　lost　her　foretop…mast；　not　a　sail；　shroud；　or　rope　was　left；　and　her　wheel　was　shot　away。　Nelson　therefore　directed　Captai