have suffered;
and if any merit attaches itself to me, it was for combating the dangers
of the shallows in defiance of them." At length Mr. Bryerly, the master
of the BELLONA, declared that he was prepared to lead the fleet; his
judgment was acceded to by the rest; they returned to their ships; and
at half-past nine the signal was made to weigh in succession.

Captain Murray, in the EDGAR, led the way; the AGAMEMNON was next in
order; but on the first attempt to leave her anchorage, she could not
weather the edge of the shoal; and Nelson had the grief to see his
old ship, in which he had performed so many years' gallant services,
immovably aground at a moment when her help was so greatly required.
Signal was then made for the POLYPHEMUS; and this change in the order of
sailing was executed with the utmost promptitude: yet so much delay
had thus been unavoidably occasioned, that the EDGAR was for some time
unsupported, and the POLYPHEMUS, whose place should have been at the end
of the enemy's line, where their strength was the greatest, could get
no further than the beginning, owing to the difficulty of the channel:
there she occupied, indeed, an efficient station, but one where her
presence was less required. The ISIS followed with better fortune, and
took her own berth. The BELLONA, Sir Thomas Boulden Thompson, kept too
close on the starboard shoal, and grounded abreast of the outer ship of
the enemy: this was the more vexatious, inasmuch as the wind was fair,
the room ample, and three ships had led the way. The RUSSELL, following
the BELLONA, grounded in like manner: both were within reach of shot;
but their absence from their intended stations was severely felt. Each
ship had been ordered to pass her leader on the starboard side, because
the water was supposed to shoal on the larboard shore. Nelson, who
came next after these two ships, thought they had kept too far on the
starboard direction, and made signal for them to close with the enemy,
not knowing that they were aground; but when he perceived that they did
not obey the signal, he ordered the ELEPHANT's helm to starboard, and
went within these ships: thus quitting the appointed order of sailing,
and guiding those which were to follow. The greater part of the fleet
were probably, by this act of promptitude on his part, saved from going
on shore. Each ship, as she arrived nearly opposite to her appointed
station, let her anchor go by the stern, and presented her b