Nelson (170 page)

35. Captain Sir William Hoste, Bt. (1780–1828), painted by Charles Taylor. The most successful ‘young gentleman’ of the
Agamemnon
,
Captain
and
Theseus
, Hoste became a renowned frigate captain. Six years after his mentor’s death he successfully led a British squadron into battle against a superior enemy off Lissa flying the signal, ‘Remember Nelson’.

36. The battle of Cape St. Vincent, 1797, painted by Nicholas Pocock about 1809. It shows Nelson’s
Captain
(left) running upon the
San Nicolas
(centre), with the
San Josef
behind (right). The evidence divides as to whether the
San Nicolas
had lost her mizzen topmast, as shown here, or the
San Josef
, but the artist had been a professional seaman, was said to have used a sketch made by Nelson’s flag-captain, and may have produced a reliable reconstruction.

37. One of the better interpretations of the boarding of the
San Nicolas
, showing Nelson’s party using the cathead of the
Captain
and Berry’s in the distance, reaching the enemy poop by means of the bowsprit.