ust now made that the
enemy is in Aboukir Bay, and moored in a line of battle.' All sprang
from their seats, and, only staying to drink a bumper to our success, we
were in a moment on deck." As the captain appeared, the crew hailed him
with three hearty cheers, a significant token of the gloom which had
wrapped the entire squadron through the recent ordeal of suspense and
disappointment.

It is only with Saumarez's share in this renowned battle that we are
here concerned. As is generally known, Nelson's tactics consisted in
doubling upon the van and centre of the enemy, who lay at anchor in a
column head to wind, or nearly so. Their rear, being to leeward, was
thus thrown out of action. The French had thirteen ships-of-the-line, of
which one was of one hundred and twenty guns, and two eighties. The
British also had thirteen, all seventy-fours, and one of fifty guns; but
one of the former going aground left them equal in numbers and inferior
in force. There were two successive acts in the drama. In the first, ten
British ships engaged the eight leading French; in the second, the
fifty and two of the seventy-fours, which had been belated, came upon
the field and strengthened the attack upon the enemy's centre. The
_Orion_, being third in the order, was one of the five vessels which
passed within the French, and fought on that side. In so doing, she
described a wide sweep around her two predecessors. While thus standing
down to her station, an enemy's frigate, the _Serieuse_, opened fire
upon her, wounding two men. It was then part of the chivalrous comity of
fleet-actions that frigates should not be molested by the
ships-of-the-line, so long as they minded their own business,--an
immunity which of course ceased if they became aggressive. Saumarez was
urged to return her fire. "No," he replied, "let her alone; she will get
bolder and come nearer. Shorten sail." She did draw nearer, and then the
_Orion_, swinging sharply towards her, let drive her broadside of
double-shotted guns. All the masts of the unlucky frigate went
overboard, and she shortly sank, nothing but her poop being visible the
next day. The helm of the British vessel was then shifted, but so much
ground had been lost that she could anchor only abreast the fifth French
ship; the interval left being filled by those who followed. In this
position the _Orion_ silenced her immediate opponent, the _Peuple
Souverain_, which, being in an hour and a half totally dism