A favourable wind from the north-east carried the fleet rapidly across the Bay of Biscay, and it proceeded on its way, keeping well out of sight of the coast of Portugal. The three fastest sailers of the fleet were sent on ahead as soon as they rounded Cape St. Vincent, with orders to capture all small vessels which might carry to Cadiz the tidings of the approach of the fleet. [Illustration] Early on the morning of the 20th June the fleet anchored off the spit of San Sebastian on the southern side of the city. Cadiz was defended by the fort of San Sebastian on one side and that of San Felipe on the other; while the fort of Pun tales, on the long spit of sand connecting the city with the mainland, defended the channel leading up to Puerto Real, and covered by its guns the Spanish galleys and ships of war anchored there. Lying off the town when the English fleet came in sight were forty richly-laden merchant ships about to sail for Mexico, under the convoy of four great men-of-war, two Lisbon galleons, two argosies, and three frigates. As soon as the English were seen, the merchant ships were ordered up the channel to Puerto Real, and the men-of-war and the fleet of seventeen war galleys were ranged under the guns of Fort Puntales to prevent the English passing up. It had first been decided to attempt a landing in the harbour of Galeta, on the south side of the city; but a heavy sea was setting in, and although the troops had been got into the boats they were re-embarked, and the fleet sailed round and anchored at the mouth of the channel leading up the bay. A council of war was held that night, and it was decided that the fleet should move up the bay with the tide next morning, and attack the Spanish fleet. The next morning at daybreak the ships got up their anchors and sailed up the channel, each commander vieing with the rest in his eagerness to be first in the fray. They were soon hotly engaged with the enemy; the fort, men-of-war, and galleys opening a heavy fire upon them, to which, anchoring as close as they could get to the foe, the English ships hotly responded. The galleys were driven closer in under the shelter of the fire of the fort, and the fire was kept up without intermission from six o'clock in the morning until four in the afternoon.