about three quarters of a mile in distance. The interval between it and
the shore has deep water, and is called the King's Channel. There the
Danes had arranged their line of defence, as near the town as possible.
It consisted of nineteen ships and floating-batteries, flanked at the
lower extremity by two artificial islands in the mouth of the harbour,
called the Crown Batteries, and extended for about a mile along the
whole extent of the town, leaving intervals for the batteries on shore
to play. As our anchor dropped, at eight in the evening, Lord Nelson
emphatically called out, that he would fight them the moment he had a
fair wind. It came with the morning; and the signal to prepare for
battle, floated from our mast-head. He had spent the whole night in
consultation. The gallant and ever to be lamented Captain Riou never
left him. Captain Hardy, too, was there, of course; and the brave and
the good Captain Foley. To mark the spirit which the presence and
example of Lord Nelson never failed to inspire, Captain Hardy, as soon
as it became dark, had ventured along the enemy's line, in the smallest
sized boat; and, as he went so near that the noise of throwing the lead
might have discovered him, he used a long pole, or rod, on which he
marked the depth of the water. About half past nine in the morning, the
signals of the different ships having been made, repeated, and answered,
we had the mortification to see the Agamemnon get upon the edge of the
shoal, on the first attempt to leave her anchorage, where she remained
immovable. A similar misfortune followed, in succession, to the Russell
and Polyphemus; and the Jamaica frigate, with a convoy of gun-boats and
small craft, having fallen in with a counter-current, made the signal of
inability to come forward. A mind less invincible than Lord Nelson's,
might have been discouraged. Though the battle was not began, yet he had
approached the enemy; and he felt that he could not retreat, to wait for
reinforcements, without compromising the glory of his country. His soul,
too, was ever superior to common discouragements; and, the signal to
bear down still kept it's place. His agitation, during these moments,
was extreme. I never shall forget the impression that it made upon me!
It was not, however, the agitation of indecision; but of ardent,
animated patriotism, panting for glory, which had appeared within his
reach, and was vanishing from his grasp. The Edgar, at last, led in. I