error. The _Canopus_ from behind the hills fired on the German ships in an endeavor to protect the wireless station. Beyond the range of her guns hovered the lighter German cruisers _Dresden, Leipzig_, and _Nuernberg_ to await the outcoming of the _Glasgow_. Both the _Gneisenau_ and _Scharnhorst_ concentrated their fire on the _Canopus_, and when the _Glasgow_, accompanied by the _Carnarvon, Cornwall_, and _Kent_, made her appearance it did not change the battle formation of the Germans, for the _Canopus_ was still the only large vessel they were aware of. Now the _Leipzig_ came nearer in order to take up the fight with the lighter British ships. By nine in the morning the German ships were drawn out in single file, running parallel with the shore in a northeasterly direction. At the head of the line was the _Gneisenau_, followed by the _Dresden, Scharnhorst, Nuernberg_, and _Leipzig_, in that order. They thought that this would entice what they believed to be the whole of the British force present into coming out for a running fight, and in which the old _Canopus_ would be left behind to be finished after the lighter vessels were done for. But all this time the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ were silent with their guns, though there was bustle enough aboard them while their coaling was being hurried. By ten o'clock these two larger ships were ready with steam up and decks cleared, and they came out from behind the hills. Von Spee saw that discretion was the better part of valor and gave orders for his ships to make off at full speed. For a time the two squadrons kept parallel to each other at a distance of twelve miles, with the British squadron--the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ leading--north of the German ships. The _Baden_ and _Santa Isabel_, two transports that had been part of the German squadron, were unable to keep up with the others and headed south, pursued by the _Bristol_ and _Macedonia_. The two British battle cruisers were faster than any other ships in either squadron, and while pulling up on the German ships were in danger of pulling away from their own ships. To avoid the latter, Admiral Sturdee kept down their speed and was content with taking a little longer to get within gun range of Von Spee's ships. By two o'clock the distance between them was about 16,000 yards; the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ had now left the rest of the British squadron far behind and took issue with the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ respectively. The remaining British ships, with the exception of the _Carnarvon_, gave attention to the three lighter German cruisers and the _Eitel Friedrich_, which had broken from the first formation and were now pointing southeast.