they say at the play, that was act the first, scene the first; and now we had to make our appearance, and I'll leave you to judge, after I've told my tale, whether the old _Captain_ wasn't principal performer, and _top sawyer_ over them all. But stop a moment, I'll just look at the binnacle, for that young topman's nodding at the wheel.--I say, Mr Smith, are you shutting your eyes to keep them warm, and letting the ship run half a point out of her course? take care I don't send for another helmsman that's all, and give the reason why. You'll make a wry face upon six-water grog, to-morrow, at seven bells. Damn your eyes, keep them open--can't you?" Swinburne, after this genteel admonition to the man at the wheel, reseated himself and continued his narrative. "All this while, Mr Simple, we in the _Captain_ had not fired a gun; but were ranging up as fast as we could to where the enemy lay in a heap. There were plenty to pick and choose from; and Nelson looked out sharp for a big one, as little boys do when they have to choose an apple: and, by the piper that played before Moses! it was a big one that he ordered the master to put him alongside of. She was a four-decker, called the _Santissima Trinidad_. We had to pass some whoppers, which would have satisfied any reasonable man; for there was the _San Josef_, and _Salvador del Mondo_, and _San Nicolas_; but nothing would suit Nelson but this four-decked ship; so we crossed the hawse of about six of them, and as soon as we were abreast of her, and at the word `Fire!' every gun went off at once, slap into her, and the old _Captain_ reeled at the discharge as if she was drunk. I wish you'd only seen how we pitched it into this _Holy Trinity_; she was _holy_ enough before we had done with her, riddled like a sieve, several of her ports knocked into one, and every scupper of her running blood and water. Not but what she stood to it as bold as brass, and gave us nearly gun for gun, and made a very pretty general average in our ship's company. Many of the old captains went to kingdom come in that business, and many more were obliged to bear up for Greenwich Hospital. "`Fire away, my lads--steady aim!' cries Nelson. `Jump down there, Mr Thomas; pass the word to reduce the cartridges, the shot go clean through her. Double shot the guns there, fore and aft.'