himself still absent. Some wretch or other flung a torch into the
powder magazine and jumped overboard. The deck was blown off, and 200
men along with it.

Two such accidents following an unsuccessful engagement did not tend to
reconcile the Spaniards to the Duke's command. Pedro de Valdez was
universally loved and honoured, and his desertion in the face of an
enemy so inferior in numbers was regarded as scandalous poltroonery.
Monday morning broke heavily. The wind was gone, but there was still a
considerable swell. The English were hull down behind. The day was spent
in repairing damages and nailing lead over the shot-holes. Recalde was
moved to the front, to be out of harm's way, and De Leyva took his post
in the rear.

At sunset they were outside Portland. The English had come up within a
league; but it was now dead calm, and they drifted apart in the tide.
The Duke thought of nothing, but at midnight the Spanish officers
stirred him out of his sleep to urge him to set his great galleasses to
work; now was their chance. The dawn brought a chance still better, for
it brought an east wind, and the Spaniards had now the weather-gage.
Could they once close and grapple with the English ships, their superior
numbers would then assure them a victory, and Howard, being to leeward
and inshore, would have to pass through the middle of the Spanish line
to recover his advantage. However, it was the same story. The Spaniards
could not use an opportunity when they had one. New-modelled for
superiority of sailing, the English ships had the same advantage over
the galleons as the steam cruisers would have over the old
three-deckers. While the breeze held they went where they pleased. The
Spaniards were out-sailed, out-matched, crushed by guns of longer range
than theirs. Their own shot flew high over the low English hulls, while
every ball found its way through their own towering sides. This time the
_San Martin_ was in the thick of it. Her double timbers were ripped and
torn; the holy standard was cut in two; the water poured through the
shot-holes. The men lost their nerve. In such ships as had no gentlemen
on board notable signs were observed of flinching.

At the end of that day's fighting the English powder gave out. Two days'
service had been the limit of the Queen's allowance. Howard had pressed
for a more liberal supply at the last moment, and had received the
characteristic answer that he must state precisely how much he