had appeared off the coast, and that the only force at anchor in Cork harbour consisted of six frigates.

During the whole of the 21st, and a part of the 22d, the fleet beat against a fresh easterly wind, and made very little way. Finding this to be the case, the rear-admiral, at 4 p.m., anchored his frigate a little to windward of the eastern extremity of Great Bear island and was soon joined by eight ships of the line, a second frigate and four corvettes and one transport. The remainder of the ships, their captains having been signalled to act according to their own discretion, kept under way, and at daylight on the 23d were not to be seen by the ships at anchor.

During the whole of this day and night it blew hard from the eastward, and there was a heavy sea in the bay ; but on the next day, the 24th, the wind moderated, not sufficiently, however, in rear-admiral Bouvet's opinion, for the ships to weigh : they therefore continued at their anchors. A council of war, held this day on board the Immortalité, decided that the 6000 troops on board the ships present should be disembarked ; and General Grouchy, now the commanding officer of the land-forces, made a formal requisition to that effect to Rear-admiral Bouvet.

Although he had received no instruction on that head, to guide him in case of separation, the rear-admiral immediately despatched a corvette to reconnoitre the coast ; and, on learning that there was a creek near at hand, where several boats might land together, he got under way with his ships. This was at 4 p.m., and consequently too late to effect much at this season of the year. Moreover the wind and sea began to get up, and the pilots pronounced that a storm was brewing. The ships thereupon reanchored ; and at night the gale came on so violently from the eastward, that the frigates pitched forecastle under.

On the 25th the gale increased. Several of the line-of-battle ships drove from their anchors and stood out to sea. One of them, the Indomptable, ran foul of the Résolue, and carried away all the frigates masts. In the evening the Immortalité, having parted one cable, was obliged to cut the other, to save herself from going on shore. On clearing the bay, the frigate could do nothing but scud, and continued, for three days, running before the wind.

On the 29th the wind moderated, and became fair for returning to Bantry bay, from which the Immortalité then bore southwest distant about 20 leagues. Apprehensive, however, that he should find none of his ships there, and having only a few days' provisions on board, Rear-admiral Bouvet steered for Brest, and on the 1st of January at 1 a.m. entered the road ; where he was joined the same day by the Indomptable 80, and the Fougueux, Mucius, Redoutable, and Patriote 74s.

We have already mentioned that, on the 20th of December the Nestor 74, and Fraternité, Romaine, and Cocarde frigates were sailing in company. At this time, as appears by their

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