Captain Jacob's regret, yaw to fire. The Ethalion, on the contrary, kept a steady course, and thus gradually gained in the chase. At about 2 p.m. the Ethalion got abreast of the Bellone, but it was to leeward, and at a greater distance than Captain Countess wished. A smart action now ensued ; yet, not until she had sustained the Ethalion's heavy fire for one hour and 54 minutes, had the principal part of her masts, rigging, and sails shot away, with five feet water in her hold, did the Bellone haul down the republican ensign.

The damages of the Ethalion were comparatively slight : she had her main topmast shot through, sprit-sail yard knocked away, sails and rigging much cut, and the boat on her starboard quarter shot to pieces ; and one of the Bellone's shot had also entered between wind and water. The loss sustained by the Ethalion, however, was only one seaman killed and four wounded ; while that on board the Bellone is represented to have been 20 killed and 45 wounded : an amount, if correctly stated, partly attributable to the crowded state of the Bellone's decks, her crew and soldier-passengers amounting, according to the deposition of her officers, to 519. It seems probable, that a proportion of the loss accrued in the general action ; but it is not so stated in the gazette letter. The French accounts, indeed, represent the loss of the Bellone, in killed and badly wounded together, at no more than 35.

Of Commodore Bompart's squadron, we have already given an account of the capture of one line-of-battle ship and three frigates. Of the remaining five frigates, all standing to the west-south-west, the Loire was the headmost by nearly a mile and a half. On approaching the Anson, then about seven miles from the nearest ship of her squadron, the Loire shortened sail, in the expectation that her companions would unite with her in the attack upon the former. Finding that, while they apparently hung back, the Anson kept getting nearer, Captain Segond, by way of a ruse, hoisted the British flag over the French. It appears that Captain Durham, deceived by this appearance, hailed the Loire. Finding, however, that she did not shorten sail, the Anson, at about 4 p.m., opened a destructive fire. Shifting her colours to French, the Loire returned the fire, and, hauling up athwart the hawse of her disabled opponent, effected her escape. Three other French frigates followed in close order, and, at about 4 h. 30 m. p.m., exchanged broadsides with the Anson, in passing her to leeward. Shortly afterwards the fifth and last frigate bore down upon the Anson's weather quarter, and, like her companions, gave and received a passing fire. The effect of all this upon the Anson was tolerably severe : she had her fore and main masts, fore yard, fore topmast, and bowsprit shot through in several places, besides two seamen killed, and two petty-officers, eight seamen, and three marines wounded.

The loss on board the other British ships from the fire of their

^ back to top ^