The _Temeraire's_ log thus describes the opening of the battle:-- P.M. Variable light winds. Running down with lower topmast and topgallant studding sails set, on the larboard side, within a ship's length of the _Victory_, steering for the fourteenth ship of the enemy's line from the van. Quarter past noon, cut away the studding sails and hauled to the wind. At 18 minutes past noon the enemy began to fire. At 25 minutes past noon the _Victory_ opened her fire. Immediately put our helm a-port to steer clear of the _Victory_, and opened our fire on the _Santisima Trinidad_ and two ships ahead of her, when the action became general. Nelson broke through immediately astern of the French _Bucentaure_, the ship on board which he had himself made up his mind, from her position, Villeneuve would most likely be found. For some unknown reason the French admiral's flag was not flying that day. Nelson, however, as they advanced, had kept the _Victory's_ bowsprit pointing for the _Santisima Trinidad_. Something instinctively told him that he should find the enemy's Commander-in-Chief on board one of the two ships immediately astern of the big Spanish four-decker, probably in the ship next astern. He was right. Villeneuve was on board that ship; the next astern to the _Santisima Trinidad_, the _Bucentaure_. As the _Victory_ steered through the enemy's line the _Temeraire_ put her helm over to port and drew out from her leader's wake. She had to find a passage through the enemy for herself. It was not easy. Immediately ahead of her the French _Redoutable_, a seventy-four, the ship following the _Bucentaure_, barred the way. The _Temeraire_ for some little time drifted along slowly. She had received serious damage aloft to sails and rigging during the previous half-hour as she and the _Victory_ were nearing the enemy under fire, and the breeze was dropping lighter every minute. She opened a brisk cannonade on the _Redoutable_ and on the French _Neptune_, a large 80-gun ship that came next astern of her.