of the troops, in the Immortalité ; and Rear-admiral Nielly in the Résolue. Finding the darkness coming rapidly on and the wind growing variable, M. Morard-de-Galles resolved not to attempt the passage du Raz, and accordingly signalled his fleet to steer for the passage d'Iroise, or that directly in front of the port. Owing to the darkness, few of the ships saw the signal, or the alteration which, the Fraternité, the better to mark the admiral's intention, had made in her course. The consequence was, that the greater part of the fleet entered the narrow passage de Raz; while the remainder followed the admiral through the wide opening of l'Iroise, hoping to rejoin their companions soon after rounding the Saintes.

Several circumstances, besides the darkness and the partial change in the course, conspired to disorganize the fleet at its departure from port ; a fleet of ships, by the composition of their crews and the lumbered state of their decks, ill prepared at best to encounter difficulties of any kind. Besides the guns fired and lights shown by the Fraternité, to denote the change in her course, the corvette Atalante was directed to stand into the middle of the fleet, and there fire guns to enforce the signal of the commander-in-chief. While this was doing, guns were heard, and rockets and blue lights seen in various directions. Part of the guns proceeded from the Séduisant 74, which had struck on the Grand-Stevenet rock, near the entrance of the passage du Raz ; and which ship in the course of the night, was entirely lost, with her captain, several other officers, and about 680 out of her 1300 in crew and passengers. Other guns, with some rockets, proceeded from a British frigate, and contributed in no small degree, to add to the confusion which prevailed in the French fleet.

This was the 44-gun frigate Indefatigable, Captain Sir Edward Pellew; who, having under his orders the 38-gun frigate Révolutionnaire, Captain Francis Cole, 36-gun frigates Amazon and Phoebe, Captains Robert Carthew Reynolds and Robert Barlow, and hired armed lugger Duke-of-York, commanded by Mr. Benjamin Sparrow, had been directed to watch the Brest fleet, and communicate every movement to Vice admiral Colpoys, at his rendezvous about eight leagues to the westward of Ushant. On the 11th, when Sir Edward descried, as already related, the squadron of M. Richery entering the road, he despatched the Amazon to England and the Phœbe to the admiral. On the 15th, at 3 h. 30 m. p.m., although he had been chased several times by a line-of-battle ship and five frigates stationed in Bertheaume bay, Sir Edward was close enough in to discover the French fleet coming through the goulet, and immediately sent the Phœbe, who had since rejoined, to Vice-admiral Colpoys.

On the 16th, at daylight, having stood off and on during the, night, the Indefatigable and Révolutionnaire made sail on a

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