“At this moment, a fire of pistols or muskets opened from the Admiral’s stern gallery of the _San Josef_, I directed the soldiers to fire into her stern; and, calling to Captain Miller, ordered him to send more men into the _San Nicolas_, and directed my people to board the First-rate, which was done in an instant, Captain Berry assisting me into the main chains. At this moment a Spanish Officer looked over the quarter-deck rail, and said--‘they surrendered;’ from this most welcome intelligence it was not long before I was on the quarter-deck, when the Spanish Captain, with a bow, presented me his Sword, and said the Admiral was dying of his wounds below. I asked him, on his honour, if the Ship were surrendered? he declared she was; on which I gave him my hand, and desired him to call to his Officers and Ship’s company, and tell them of it--which he did; and on the quarter-deck of a Spanish First-rate, extravagant as the story may seem, did I receive the Swords of vanquished Spaniards: which, as I received, I gave to William Fearney, one of my bargemen, who put them with the greatest _sangfroid_ under his arm.” Nelson afterwards went on board the _Irresistible_. It was then late in the afternoon, and he did not think it advisable to take possession of the _Santissima Trinidad_ because he was convinced that “a night Action with a still very superior Fleet” must inevitably follow. Jervis received the Commodore with great affection and was not sparing with well-deserved praise. The hero of the day was no less generous in acknowledging the services of Collingwood. He described his conduct as “noble and gallant.” Nelson had no truer friend than the commander of the _Excellent_, whose admiration for the Commodore’s genius knew no bounds. “The highest rewards are due to you and _Culloden_:” Collingwood replied, “you formed the plan of attack--we were only accessories to the Dons’ ruin; for had they got on the other tack, they would have been sooner joined, and the business would have been less complete.” While the interest of the fight centres about the _Captain_, each ship contributed to the victory. In addition to Nelson’s vessel, the _Colossus_ and _Culloden_ were badly battered but fortunately the loss in men was remarkably small. Four prizes fell to the British fleet on St Valentine’s Day, 1797.