setting fire to the sails; which was exemplified by the destruction of
the French ship L'Achille in this battle. It is a species of warfare by
which individuals may suffer, and now and then a Commander be picked
off: but it never can decide the fate of a general engagement; and a
circumstance in many respects similar to that of the Victory's running
on board of the Redoutable, may not occur again in the course of
centuries. The loss sustained by the Victory amounted to fifty-five
killed, and a hundred and two wounded;[22] and it is highly honourable
to the discipline and established regulations of the ship, that not one
casualty from accident occurred on board during the engagement.

On the day after the battle, as soon as circumstances permitted the
Surgeon to devote a portion of his attention to the care of Lord
NELSON'S honoured Remains, measures were adopted to preserve them as
effectually as the means then on board the Victory allowed. On the
Surgeon's examining the nature of the wound, and the course of the
ball, a quantity of blood was evacuated from the left side of the
breast: none had escaped before. The ball was traced by a probe to the
spine, but its lodgment could not at that time be discovered. There was
no lead on board to make a coffin: a cask called a leaguer, which is of
the largest size on shipboard, was therefore chosen for the reception of
the Body; which, after the hair had been cut off, was stripped of the
clothes except the shirt, and put into it, and the Cask was then filled
with brandy.[23]

In the evening after this melancholy task was accomplished, the gale
came on with violence from the south-west, and continued that night and
the succeeding day without any abatement. During this boisterous
weather, Lord NELSON'S Body remained under the charge of a sentinel on
the middle deck. The cask was placed on its end, having a closed
aperture at its top and another below; the object of which was, that as
a frequent renewal of the spirit was thought necessary, the old could
thus be drawn off below and a fresh quantity introduced above, without
moving the cask, or occasioning the least agitation of the Body. On the
24th there was a disengagement of air from the Body to such a degree,
that the sentinel became alarmed on seeing the head of the cask raised:
he therefore applied to the Officers, who were under the necessity of
having the cask spiled to give the air a discharge. After this, no
considerabl