Lord Nelson keenly observed the hostile fleet.
To throw him off the track, two French naval squadrons set sail for the
West Indies, as if to attack the British islands there. Nelson followed.
Suddenly turning, the decoying squadron came back under a press of sail,
joined the Spanish fleet, and sailed for England. Nelson had not
returned, but a strong fleet remained, under Sir Robert Calder, which
was handled in such fashion as to drive the hostile ships back to the
harbor of Cadiz.
Such was the state of affairs when Nelson again reached England. Full of
the spirit of battle, he hoisted his flag on the battle-ship Victory,
and set sail in search of his foes. There were twenty-seven
line-of-battle ships and four frigates under his command. The French
fleet, under Admiral Villeneuve, numbered thirty-three sail of the line
and seven frigates. Napoleon, dissatisfied with the disinclination of
his fleet to meet that of England, and confident in its strength,
issued positive orders, and Villeneuve sailed out of the harbor of
Cadiz, and took position in two crescent-shaped lines off Cape
Trafalgar. As soon as Nelson saw him he came on with the eagerness of a
lion in sight of its prey, his fleet likewise in two lines, his signal
flags fluttering with the inspiring order, "England expects every man to
do his duty.
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