to have been apprehensive of delivering up their ships thus entirely
into the power of such allies, and refused to come out. The fleet from
Cadiz, however, consisting of from seventeen to twenty sail of the line,
got out, under Masaredo, a man who then bore an honourable name, which
he has since rendered infamous by betraying his country. They met with
a violent storm off the coast of Oran, which dismasted many of their
ships, and so effectually disabled them as to prevent the junction, and
frustrate a well-planned expedition.

Before this occurred, and while the junction was as probable as it would
have been formidable, Nelson was in a state of the greatest anxiety.
"What a state am I in!" said he to Earl St. Vincent. "If I go, I risk,
and more than risk, Sicily; for we know, from experience, that more
depends upon opinion than upon acts themselves; and, as I stay, my heart
is breaking." His first business was to summon Troubridge to join him,
with all the ships of the line under his command, and a frigate, if
possible. Then hearing that the French had entered the Mediterranean,
and expecting them at Palermo, where he had only his own ship--with that
single ship he prepared to make all the resistance possible. Troubridge
having joined him, he left Captain E. J. Foote, of the SEAHORSE, to
command the smaller vessels in the bay of Naples, and sailed with six
ships--one a Portuguese, and a Portuguese corvette--telling Earl St.
Vincent that the squadron should never fall into the hands of the enemy.
"And before we are destroyed," said he, "I have little doubt but they
will have their wings so completely clipped that they may be easily
overtaken." It was just at this time that he received from Captain
Hallowell the present of the coffin. Such a present was regarded by the
men with natural astonishment. One of his old shipmates in the AGAMEMNON
said, "We shall have hot work of it indeed! You see the admiral intends
to fight till he is killed; and there he is to be buried." Nelson placed