gh the preceding days of hazy weather. Nelson, after an
interview with Jervis, went on board the "Captain," where his broad
pendant was again hoisted at 6 P.M.

At daybreak, the position of the two fleets was twenty-five miles west
of Cape St. Vincent, a headland on the Portuguese coast, a hundred and
fifty miles northwest of Cadiz. During the night the wind had shifted
from the eastward to west by south, and, being now fair, the Spaniards
were running for their port, heading about east-southeast; but they
were in disorder, and were divided into two principal fragments, of
which the headmost, and therefore leewardmost, numbered six ships. It
was separated from the other division of twenty-one by a space of six
or eight miles. In the whole force, of twenty-seven ships, there were
seven of three decks, the least of which carried one hundred and
twelve guns; the remainder were principally seventy-fours, there
being, however, one of eighty-four guns. Jervis's fleet consisted of
fifteen ships-of-the-line,--two of one hundred guns, four of
ninety-eight or ninety, eight seventy-fours, and one sixty-four. From
the intelligence received the previous day of the enemy's proximity,
the admiral kept the command throughout the night in two columns, in
close order, a formation suited by its compactness to a hazy night,
and at the same time manageable in case of encountering an enemy
suddenly. The course was south by west, almost perpendicular to that
of the Spaniards. The two fleets were thus running, one from the
westward, and the other from the northward, to a common crossing.[42]

At daylight the enemy's fleet was partly visible to the leading ships
of the British columns. As the morning advanced, and the situation
developed, it was seen that the Spanish line was long and straggling,
and the gap began to show. As the British were heading directly
towards it, Jervis ordered a half-dozen of his ships, which were all
still under moderate canvas, to press on and interpose between the
enemy's divisions. An hour or so later he made the signal to form the
single column, which was the usual fighting order of those days. The
fleet being already properly disposed for manoeuvres, this change of
order was effected, to use his own words, "with the utmost celerity."
Nelson's ship was thirteenth in the new order, therefore nearly the
last. Next after him came the sixty-four, the "Diadem," while
Collingwood, in the "Excellent," brought up the rea