knowledge of his force; and therefore directed Admiral LOUIS to proceed
in the execution of the orders before delivered to him.

Between the 7th and the 13th, His LORDSHIP was reinforced by the Royal
Sovereign, Belleisle, Defiance, Agamemnon, and Africa, from England, and
the Leviathan from Gibraltar. The Agamemnon, Sir EDWARD BERRY, joined on
the 13th;[1] with intelligence that she had been chased on the coast of
Portugal a few days before by an Enemy's squadron, consisting of six
sail of the line.

On the 13th in the evening, Sir ROBERT CALDER, in his Majesty's ship
the Prince of Wales, parted company with the Fleet, on his return to
England. His departure Lord NELSON had some days before evinced an
anxious wish to procrastinate, and was heard that very day to declare
his firm belief that the Combined Fleets would be at sea in the course
of ten days or a fortnight.[2]

On the 18th the Donegal, Captain MALCOLM, left the Fleet for Gibraltar.
On the 19th his Majesty's ships the Colossus, Mars, Defence, and
Agamemnon, formed the cordon of communication with the frigates in
shore: the Fleet was lying to. About half past nine in the morning, the
Mars, being one of the ships nearest to the Fleet, repeated the signal
from the ships further in shore, that "the Enemy were coming out of
port." Lord NELSON immediately ordered the general signal to be made,
with two guns, for a chace in the south-east quarter. The wind was now
very light; and the breezes partial, mostly from the south-south-west.
The Fleet made all possible sail; and about two o'clock the Colossus and
Mars repeated signals from the ships in shore, communicating the welcome
intelligence of "the Enemy being at sea." This cheered the minds of all
on board, with the prospect of realizing those hopes of meeting the