In the interior of this bay lay the Napoleonic squadron, under Admiral Brueys, in such fancied security that a large part of the crews was ashore, and some of the ships unprepared for a battle when the British appeared. It was anchored in line of battle, however, and consisted of thirteen ships of the line, the central one being the flagship _Orient_, having 120 guns, and probably the largest and most complete war-ship then afloat. On each side of her were the _Franklin_ and the _Tonnant_, of 80 guns each, and none of the others were greatly inferior. The British had also thirteen ships, but none was the equal of the best French, and one of them did not engage in the attack at all. Knowing nothing of the harbor, and aware that all his ships drew much water,—perhaps thirty feet,—Nelson had to make a long and very cautious detour, throwing the lead every moment and feeling his way in. It was then late in the afternoon, and half-past six before the _Goliath_, leading the column, got near enough to attract the French fire. Replying, but not halting, the _Goliath_, followed closely by the _Zealous_ and _Orion_, made for the head of the line, and then with a daring unrivaled, for there was barely enough water to float their keels, these ships slowly turned around the foremost French vessel and dropped their anchors in the rear of the enemy’s line. The other ships, as they came up, ranged alongside the front of the French, and the deepening twilight resounded with such a roar of broadsides as never will be heard again. In the darkness and smoke an English seventy-four, the _Bellerophon_, had engaged the monstrous _Orient_, and in a short time had been crushed; all her masts were swept out of her, two hundred of her people were killed and wounded, and she drifted out of action. But nearly the same fate had by that time overtaken the French _Guerrière_, for the _Theseus_ had coolly placed herself where she could rake the anchored ship and tear her to pieces. The moment the _Bellerophon_ drifted off, however, her place was taken by two newly arrived frigates, and the _Orient_ presently found herself the target of three ships which slowly but surely were cutting her to pieces in spite of her tremendous resistance. Her admiral had been killed on her deck, where half her officers and men lay dead or wounded, when it was suddenly seen that she was on fire, and the whole battle was instinctively suspended to watch the magnificent spectacle, save where some still poured in shot and shell to prevent the French crew from extinguishing the flames.