ell on the poop. But the old quarter-master, as he
cried out, "That's he, that's he," and pointed at the other who was
coming forward to fire again, received a shot in his mouth, and fell
dead. Both the midshipmen then fired at the same time, and the fellow
dropped in the top. When they took possession of the prize, they went
into the mizzen-top, and found him dead, with one ball through his head,
and another through his breast.

The REDOUTABLE struck within twenty minutes after the fatal shot had
been fired from her. During that time she had been twice on fire in her
fore-chains and in her forecastle. The French, as they had done in
other battles, made use in this, of fire-balls and other combustibles;
implements of destruction which other nations, from a sense of honour
and humanity, have laid aside; which add to the sufferings of the
wounded, without determining the issue of the combat: which none but the
cruel would employ, and which never can be successful against the brave.
Once they succeeded in setting fire, from the REDOUTABLE, to some ropes
and canvas on the VICTORY's booms. The cry ran through the ship, and
reached the cockpit; but even this dreadful cry produced no confusion:
the men displayed that perfect self-possession in danger by which
English seamen are characterised; they extinguished the flames on board
their own ship, and then hastened to extinguish them in the enemy, by
throwing buckets of water from the gangway. When the REDOUTABLE had
struck, it was not practicable to board her from the VICTORY; for,
though the two ships touched, the upper works of both fell in so much,
that there was a great space between their gangways; and she could not
be boarded from the lower or middle decks because her ports were down.
Some of our men went to Lieutenant Quilliam, and offered to swim under
her bows, and get up there; but it was thought unfit to hazard brave
lives in this manner.

What our men would have done from gallantry, some of the crew of
the SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD did to save themselves. Unable to stand the
tremendous fire of the VICTORY, whose larboard guns played against this
great four-decker, and not knowing how else to escape them, nor where
else to betake themselves for protection, many of them leaped overboard
and swam to the VICTORY; and were actually helped up her sides by the
English during the action. The Spaniards began the battle with less
vivacity than their unworthy allies, but they conti