Chapter 18

"You and I have known, sir."
"At sea, I think."
"We have, sir."
"You have done well by water."
"And you by land."

Antony and Cleopatra.

The reader will understand that I offer to his view a shifting panorama.
As soon as the Dawn had got about a mile and a half from the English
frigates, a distance that was a little increased by the advance of the
last towards their enemies, we again backed our top-sails, for I had an
ungovernable desire to be a spectator of what was to follow. This feeling
was common to all four of us, it being next to impossible to get either
Neb, or Diogenes, to pull a rope, for gazing at the frigates. As for
steering, it would have been out of the question, I really believe, as no
one among us could keep his eyes long enough from the combatants to look
after our own ship.

Some persons may think it was foolish not to make the most of our time in
endeavouring to get as far as possible from the Speedy. Perhaps it was;
but, two miles distant, there was really less to apprehend than might at
first appear. It was not probable the English would abandon the French
vessels as long as they could stick by them, or, until they were captured;
and I was not so completely ignorant of my trade as to imagine that
vessels like those of la Grande Nation, which were in sight, were to be
taken without doing their adversaries a good deal of harm. Then, the
prizes themselves would require looking after, and there were many other
chances of our now going scot-free, while there was really very small
ground of danger. But, putting aside all these considerations, curiosity
and interest were so active in us all, as to render it almost morally
impossible we should quit the place until the battle was decided. I am not
absolutely certain the Dawn _would_ have moved, had we been disposed to
make her. With these brief explanations, then, we will turn our attention
exclusively to the frigates.

By the time we had got the Dawn just where we wished her to be, the
combatants were drawing quite near to each other. The Speedy had carried
sail so long, as to be a little to windward of her consort's wake, though
half a cable's-length astern of her. The French were in still closer
order, and they would soon be far enough advanced to bring the leading
ship on each side, under fire. I supposed the opposing vessels would pass
about a cable's-length apart. All four were under their top-sails, jibs,
and spankers, with the courses in the brails. The Black Prince and the
Speedy had their top-gallant-sails clewed up, while la Désirée and le Cerf
had theirs still sheeted home, with the yards on the caps. All four
vessels had sent down royal-yards.