The subsequent circumstances, as described by Mr. Fergusson, are so very characteristically detailed, that they cannot fail highly to interest every reader--"On the 1st of April, in the afternoon," says this ingenious gentleman, "we took our departure from the main body of the fleet, then lying about four miles below Copenhagen; and coasted along the outer edge of the shoal called the Middle Ground, till we doubled it's farthest extremity, when the squadron cast anchor. This shoal, of the same extent as the sea-front of the town, lies exactly before it, at about three quarters of a mile in distance. The interval between it and the shore has deep water, and is called the King's Channel. There the Danes had arranged their line of defence, as near the town as possible. It consisted of nineteen ships and floating-batteries, flanked at the lower extremity by two artificial islands in the mouth of the harbour, called the Crown Batteries, and extended for about a mile along the whole extent of the town, leaving intervals for the batteries on shore to play. As our anchor dropped, at eight in the evening, Lord Nelson emphatically called out, that he would fight them the moment he had a fair wind. It came with the morning; and the signal to prepare for battle, floated from our mast-head. He had spent the whole night in consultation. The gallant and ever to be lamented Captain Riou never left him. Captain Hardy, too, was there, of course; and the brave and the good Captain Foley. To mark the spirit which the presence and example of Lord Nelson never failed to inspire, Captain Hardy, as soon as it became dark, had ventured along the enemy's line, in the smallest sized boat; and, as he went so near that the noise of throwing the lead might have discovered him, he used a long pole, or rod, on which he marked the depth of the water. About half past nine in the morning, the signals of the different ships having been made, repeated, and answered, we had the mortification to see the Agamemnon get upon the edge of the shoal, on the first attempt to leave her anchorage, where she remained immovable. A similar misfortune followed, in succession, to the Russell and Polyphemus; and the Jamaica frigate, with a convoy of gun-boats and small craft, having fallen in with a counter-current, made the signal of inability to come forward. A mind less invincible than Lord Nelson's, might have been discouraged. Though the battle was not began, yet he had approached the enemy; and he felt that he could not retreat, to wait for reinforcements, without compromising the glory of his country. His soul, too, was ever superior to common discouragements; and, the signal to bear down still kept it's place. His agitation, during these moments, was extreme. I never shall forget the impression that it made upon me! It was not, however, the agitation of indecision; but of ardent, animated patriotism, panting for glory, which had appeared within his reach, and was vanishing from his grasp.