rom sight. At the same moment
the English flagship was seen to throw out a signal, when three of the
English steam-frigates, which had been standing inshore, commenced
firing away at the northern forts. Another signal presently went up,
and the _Agamemnon_ was seen gliding on at more rapid speed than
heretofore towards the shore, some little distance to the north of Fort
Constantine, the nearest point which a shoal running off from the land
would allow her to reach. A gallant little steamer, the _Circassian_,
was observed leading the way, fearless of the shot which the guns of the
fort threw at her. As the _Agamemnon_ passed the _Sanspareil_, which
had been ahead of her, hearty cheers resounded from their crews, and
then both commenced firing, clouds of smoke quickly enveloping them and
assisting to baffle the gunners of the two batteries on the high ground
above them. Meantime the _Britannia, Trafalgar, Vengeance, Queen,
Rodney_, and _Bellerophon_, were proceeding southward in order to
complete the line across the harbour, while the _Sanspareil, London,
Arethusa_, and _Albion_ took up positions to the northward of the
_Agamemnon_.

Not till afterwards, of course, did Jack hear of the gallant conduct of
Mr Ball, in command of the little steam-tender _Circassia_, which was
seen ahead of the _Agamemnon_, taking soundings for her, and leading her
close up to the shoal. Sir Edmund told him that his ship would probably
be sunk, and undertook to have his boats in readiness to pick up him and
his crew should such an event occur. As the tender moved ahead of the
great ship, the lead-line was struck out of the leadsman's hands; but
another line was immediately found, and the little vessel continued her
course. Though she received nine shots in her hull, the leadsman was
the only man wounded on board. Having performed her duty, she steamed
off out of harm's way. The _Agamemnon_ was, however, so well placed to
the north-west, that the rear guns only of the fort could be brought to
bear on her, and as she was much nearer in than the enemy expected, most
of their shot struck her masts and rigging.

So close was the _Sanspareil_ to her stern that that ship's foremost
guns could not at first be fired. This made it necessary for her to
haul off, but it was only to return to render her able support to the
_Agamemnon_. The greater number of the ships were now hotly engaged,
well-nigh twelve hundred guns firing rapidly away a