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of Sir Horatio Nelson’s squadron at the capture and destruction of the French fleet in Aboukir Bay, Aug. 1, 1798^[1].

Our officer having been directed to reconnoitre the port of Alexandria, previous to the discovery of the enemy, was prevented assisting at the commencement of the battle; and being afterwards obliged to alter his course, in order to avoid the shoal that had proved so fatal to the Culloden, it was eight o’clock before he got into action, and total darkness had enveloped the combatants for some time, which was dispelled only by the frequent flashes from their guns; the volumes of smoke now rolling down the line from the fierce fire of those engaged to windward, rendered it extremely difficult to take his station; it was scarcely possible to distinguish friend from foe. The Swiftsure was bearing down under a press of sail, and had already got within range of the enemy’s guns, when her commander perceived a ship standing out of action under her fore-sail and fore-topsail, having no lights displayed. Supposing that she was an enemy, he felt inclined to fire into her; but as that would have broken the plan he had laid down for his conduct^[2], he desisted; and happy it was that he did so; for the vessel in question was the Bellerophon^[3], which had been obliged to withdraw from the conflict. At three minutes past eight the Swiftsure anchored, taking the place that had been occupied by that ship; and two minutes after began a steady and well-directed fire on the quarter of the Franklin, and bow of l’Orient. At 9^h 3’ a fire was observed to have broken out in the cabin of the latter; to that point Captain Hallowell ordered as many guns as could be spared from firing on the Franklin, to be directed, and, at the same time, that the marines should throw the whole fire of their musketry into the enemy’s quarter, while the Alexander on the other side was keeping up an incessant shower of shot to the same point. The conflagration now began to rage with dreadful fury; still the French Admiral sustained the honor

1. See p. 180.
2. Captain Hallowell, being aware of the difficulty of breaking men off from their guns when once they have begun to use them, determined not to suffer a shot to be fired till the sails were all clewed up, and the Swiftsure anchored in her station.
3. See p. 270.