But many of them, numbed by the freezing water, let go their hold and sank. About 180, among them the captain of the _Gneisenau_, were saved. It is said that much agreeable surprise, upon the discovery that their anticipations of being shot would not be realized, was manifested by the German sailors. [Sidenote: The _Eitel Friedrich_ escapes.] [Sidenote: The _Leipzig_ is sunk.] Meanwhile, battle had been in progress elsewhere. The _Bristol_ and the _Macedonia_ had overtaken the transports _Baden_ and _Santa Isabel_, had captured their crews, and had sunk the ships. The armed liner accompanying them, the _Eitel Friedrich_, had, however, made off and got away by means of her superior speed. The _Kent_, _Glasgow_ and _Cornwall_ had pursued the German light cruisers in a southerly direction. The _Dresden_, the fastest, proved too speedy a vessel to overtake. She was ahead of her consorts, upon either quarter, and made her escape whilst they were being engaged. The _Kent_ gave chase to the _Nuernberg_. The _Glasgow_, in pursuit of the _Leipzig_, raced ahead of the _Cornwall_, and by about three o'clock in the afternoon had closed sufficiently, within 12,000 yards, to open fire with her foremost guns. The German ship turned every now and then to fire a salvo. Soon a regular battle began which was maintained for some hours. Shells fell all around the _Glasgow_. There were several narrow escapes, but the casualties were few. Shortly after six a wireless message was received from Admiral Sturdee, announcing that the _Scharnhorst_ and the _Gneisenau_ had been sunk. A cheer surged up, and the men set to work with renewed spirits and energy. The _Cornwall_ had come up some time before, and the _Leipzig_ was now severely damaged. But she fought on for three more hours. Darkness came on. The German cruiser began to burn fore and aft. It was nine o'clock before she at last turned over and sank. [Sidenote: The _Kent_ returns.] [Sidenote: Sinking of the _Nuernberg_.]