ades with grape only; our sail was reduced to the topsails, and
topgallant sails, the main-sail furled, and the boats dropped astern in
tow. The ships were now steering to their appointed stations, and the
gun-boats showing their eagerness, by a crowd of sail, to get alongside
the batteries. As we drew towards the shore, the Algerines were observed
loading their guns, and a vast number of spectators were assembled on the
beach, idly gazing at the approach of the squadron, seemingly quite
unconscious of what was about to happen. Far different were appearances
at the mouth of the mole as it opened; the row-boats, fully manned, were
lying on their oars, quite prepared for the attack, and we fully expected
they would attempt to board, should an opportunity offer; each boat had a
flag hanging over the stern. A frigate was moored across the mouth of the
mole, and a small brig was at anchor outside of her.

At fifteen minutes before three P.M. the Queen Charlotte came to an
anchor by the stern, at the distance of sixty yards from the beach, and,
as was ascertained by measurement, ninety yards from the muzzles of the
guns of the mole batteries, unmolested, and with all the quietude of a
friendly harbour; her flag flew at the main, and the colours at the peak;
her starboard broadside flanked the whole range of batteries from the
mole head to the lighthouse; her topsail yards (as were those of the
squadron,) remained aloft, to be secure from fire, and the sails brought
snugly to the yards by head-lines previously fitted; the topgallant sails
and small sails only were furled, so that we had no man unnecessarily
exposed aloft.

The Leander, following the motions of the admiral, was brought up with
two anchors by the stern, let go on his larboard beam, veered away, until
she obtained a position nearly a-head of him, then let go an anchor under
foot, open by this to a battery on the starboard side at the bottom of
the mole, and to the Fish-market battery on the larboard side. At this
moment Lord Exmouth was seen waving his hat on the poop to the idlers on
the beach to get out of the way, then a loud cheer was heard, and the
whole of the Queen Charlotte's tremendous broadside was thrown into the
batteries abreast of her; this measure was promptly taken, as the smoke
of a gun was observed to issue from some part of the enemy's works, so
that the sound of the British guns was heard almost in the same instant
with that to which the smoke