The Story of Nelson | Page 9

While we were in the Gulf of Lyons, after
it had been blowing hard all day, it came on one dark night to blow
harder still, and, without warning, first our main and then our
mizen-topmast went over the side, and lastly the foremast went
altogether, so that we no longer could carry sail on it. What a crippled
wreck we looked in the morning! There was a thick fog: not one of the
squadron could be seen. We were boasting the day before that we were
ready to meet more than an equal number of the finest ships the French
could bring against us; and now we lay docked of our wings, and
scarcely able to contend with the smallest frigate. Providence was
watching over us, and we had good reason to believe this when some
time afterwards we learned that that very day the French fleet sailed
from Toulon, and passed within a few miles of us, while we were hid
from them by the fog. At last Captain Ball, in the `Alexander,' came up,
and towed us into the harbour of San Pietro in Sardinia, where in four
days, with the aid of his and other two ships' companies, we got
completely refitted and ready for sea. Away we went in search of the
French fleet, with General Bonaparte himself on board. We heard of
the French at Gozo, and our admiral would have attacked them there,
but they had gone; then on we sailed for Egypt, hoping to find them off
Alexandria, but not a sign of them could we discover. If we had had our
frigates, we should have found them out fast enough. Leaving
Alexandria, we steered for Syracuse, where we provisioned and
watered; we visited the Morea; we hunted along the Greek coast. At

last we entered the Gulf of Coron, where Captain Troubridge brought
us the news that the French fleet had been seen steering from Candia
for Egypt four weeks before. Instantly all sail was made for Alexandria.
Still we scarcely expected to find the French fleet there. Great then was
our joy when the signal was seen flying from the masthead of the
`Zealous,' Captain Hood, that the enemy's fleet were moored in
Aboukir Bay. Not a moment was lost in clearing the ships for action.
We all knew that we had hot work before us. We found the French fleet
moored in a sort of curve in the bay, but far enough from the shore to
let some of our ships get inside of them; that is, between them and the
land. This the French little expected, and many hadn't even their guns
loaded on that side.
"Oh! it was a magnificent sight, as on we sailed, receiving a hot fire
from the shore batteries, but not answering a shot, while silently we
furled our sails, and got ready for anchoring. I believe that silence
made the hearts of the Frenchmen quake more than our loudest
hurrahs would have done. It was evening; the sun was just sinking into
the ocean as we entered the bay. The `Goliath' led the way, followed by
the `Zealous,' and then came the `Orion,' all anchoring inside the
enemy's line. The `Vanguard' (our ship) was the first which anchored
outside, within half pistol-shot of the `Spartiate.' We had six colours
flying, just as a sign to the Frenchmen that come what might we were
not likely to strike to them; and now there was very little to be seen but
the flashes and thick smoke from the guns. Other ships followed us
outside the French line, but the greater number were inside. No sooner
were our anchors dropped than we opened fire, our example being
followed by the other ships as they brought up. We blazed away in right
earnest; there was no flinching from our guns. What the Frenchmen
were about I cannot tell, but we seemed to fire two shots to their one;
but then their guns carried heavier metal than ours, and they had many
more of them. It was so dark that we had to get our fighting-lanterns
hung up along the decks. Just fancy us then stripped to the waist, with
handkerchiefs bound round our heads, and straining every nerve as we
ran in and out, and cleaned and loaded our heavy guns, and blazed
away as fast as we could. We were covered, too, with smoke and
powder, and before long most of us were sprinkled pretty thickly with

our own or our shipmates' blood. Such was the sight you would have
seen between decks on board every ship in the action.
"I must tell you what happened in other parts. There was a shoal we
had to pass on our starboard hand. The `Culloden,' the ship of the