wo the action had ceased along that part of the line which
was astern of the ELEPHANT, but not with the ships ahead and the Crown
Batteries. Nelson, seeing the manner in which his boats were fired upon
when they went to take possession of the prizes, became angry, and said
he must either send ashore to have this irregular proceeding stopped,
or send a fire-ship and burn them. Half the shot from the Trekroner, and
from the batteries at Amak, at this time, struck the surrendered ships,
four of which had got close together; and the fire of the English,
in return, was equally or even more destructive to these poor devoted
Danes. Nelson, who was as humane as he was brave, was shocked at the
massacre--for such he called it; and with a presence of mind peculiar to
himself, and never more signally displayed than now, he retired into the
stern gallery, and wrote thus to the Crown Prince:--"Vice-Admiral Lord
Nelson has been commanded to spare Denmark when she no longer resists.
The line of defence which covered her shores has struck to the British
flag; but if the firing is continued on the part of Denmark, he must set
on fire all the prizes that he has taken, without having the power of
saving the men who have so nobly defended them. The brave Danes are the
brothers, and should never be the enemies, of the English." A wafer was
given him, but he ordered a candle to be brought from the cockpit, and
sealed the letter with wax, affixing a larger seal than he ordinarily
used. "This," said he, "is no time to appear hurried and informal."
Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, who acted as his aide-de-camp, carried
this letter with a flag of truce. Meantime the fire of the ships ahead,
and the approach of the RAMILLIES and DEFENCE from Sir Hyde's division,
which had now worked near enough to alarm the enemy, though not to
injure them, silenced the remainder of the Danish line to the eastward
of the Trekroner. That battery, however, continued its fire. This
formidable work, owing to the want of the ships which had been destined
to attack it, and the inadequate force of Riou's little squadron, was
comparatively uninjured. Towards the close of the action it had been
manned with nearly fifteen hundred men; and the intention of storming
it, for which every preparation had been made, was abandoned as
impracticable.

During Thesiger's absence, Nelson sent for Freemantle, from the GANGES,
and consulted with him and Foley whether it was advisable to a