We are located in the year 1805, on October 21, in the Bay of Cadiz in front of Cape Trafalgar.
The Battle of Trafalgar takes place, pitting the English navy, led by Admiral Nelson, against the Franco-Spanish navy, led by Villeneuve. The better preparation of the English fleet, the ingenuity of Nelson, the clumsiness of Villeneuve and the lack of cohesion of the Franco-Spanish fleet gave the victory to the English.
We are going to focus on what happened on the Spanish ship Neptuno . Directed, in Trafalgar, by Don Cayetano Valdés, he got fully into the battle, together with the French Intrepide to help Admiral Villenueve's ship, both being surrendered after the brutal fight. The Neptune , dismasted, is stranded in Puerto de Santa María. From land, an attempt is made to reach the ship to rescue the survivors, but the strong waves prevent the boats from approaching the ship.
And this is where Spanish ingenuity plays its trick. It is decided, it is not known who had the brilliant idea, to tie a rope to the leg of a pig that they carried on the ship and throw it into the sea. The pig barely made it to land and by means of the rope tied to its leg, the boats were able to reach the ship and rescue the survivors.
Nothing else is known about this lifeguard pig, but I do not know any square, street or monument in the province of Cádiz to any pig. So…
