This frigate was subsequently got off, but in too damaged a state to be kept afloat : she accordingly went down. Part of the Ninfa's crew also escaped to the shore. The loss sustained by the two frigates was represented to have been 18 men killed and 30 wounded. The Irresistible had one man killed and one wounded. The Emerald escaped without a casualty. The Ninfa, under the name of Hamadryad, was taken into the British service as a 12-pounder 36.

The following anecdote we extract from the work of a contemporary, as believing the Ninfa and Santa-Elena to be the frigates alluded to. "While our fleet lay before Cadiz (the in-shore squadron * almost within gun-shot of the lighthouse, the main body of the fleet about five miles off, at anchor), two frigates came upon them in the night, and were reported to the captain of the flag-ship, by the officer of the watch. They were supposed to be either friends or neutrals ; and the. Spanish captains were not sensible of their danger, until, standing nearer to Cadiz, they learned from the fishing-boats, that the British fleet was without them, and the advanced squadron within them. Not a moment was to be lost, and the time was well employed. They were loaded with treasure, which was instantly got on deck, put into the fishing-boats, and landed safely at Cadiz without suspicion. Daylight discovered the fortunate Spaniards, after all their treasure was in safety ; they were chased, and one taken, and the other destroyed, in a bay not far from the scene of their achievement." †

The Spaniards usually sent their frigates for treasure in pairs ; and, at the very time that the Ninfa and Santa-Elena were thus lost to their country, another pair of Spanish frigates were either on their passage out to, or on their return home from, South America ; two such frigates having been fallen in with, on the 20th of May, in latitude 34° 36' south, longitude 53° 14' west, which is a little to the northward of the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, by the British 12-pounder 36-gun frigate Oiseau (late Cléopâtre) captain Charles Brisbane.

At daylight on the day mentioned the Oiseau, standing on the starboard tack, with the wind at about south by west, discovered and immediately chased a strange sail bearing south-west by west, distant three or four leagues. At 7 h. 30 m. a.m. a second sail made her appearance astern of the first. At 9 h. 30 m. a.m. the leading ship, now seen to be a frigate, hauled up her mainsail and took in her topgallantsails, and in another quarter of an hour fired a gun to leeward and hoisted Spanish colours. The Oiseau, who had now approached within gun-shot,

* Of which Captain Sir James Saumarez, of the Orion, was, we believe, the commanding officer.

† Brenton, vol iii., p. 4.

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