to the Indefatigable and Virginie * Whatever chance of success, therefore, the Loire may have had with the Mermaid, she had very little with the Anson, and none whatever with the Anson and Kangaroo united. The undoubted bravery, which Captain Segond, his officers, and crew displayed in this contest affords a tolerable proof, that the Loire would not have quitted her former antagonist, had not her injuries by the Mermaid's shot been of the most serious kind.

The Loire had on board a brass field-piece, with the necessary apparatus and stores, clothing complete for 3000 men, 1020 muskets, 200 sabres, 350 pouches, and 25 cases of musket-ball cartridges, evidently to serve for equipping the recruits expected among the Irish malecontents. Leaving the prize in tow of the Kangaroo, and attended by the Anson, we shall proceed to show which was the next of Commodore Bompart's frigates, that was successfully intercepted on her return to a French port.

On the 20th of October, at 8 a.m., in latitude 48° 23' north, and longitude 7° west, the British 38-gun frigate Fisgard, Captain Thomas Byam Martin, while standing on the larboard tack with the wind at west-south-west, saw a strange sail due west, on the opposite tack, steering free. At 8 h. 45 m. a.m. the Fisgard tacked in chase, and gained on the stranger ; who was no other than the Immortalité, pursuing her course to Brest, and which port, but for this to her unlucky encounter, she would very soon have reached. At 11 a.m. the Immortalité hoisted French colours, and commenced firing her stern-chasers. At 11 h. 30 m. a.m. the Fisgard hoisted English colours, and opened a fire in return with her bow-guns, still, with a fine moderate breeze on the quarter, coming up with the object of her pursuit.

At half-past noon the Fisgard got close alongside her opponent, and a spirited action commenced. So effectual, however, was the Immortalité's fire, that, in 25 minutes, the Fisgard was rendered quite ungovernable, having her bowlines, braces, topsail-ties, back-stays, and the whole of her running rigging, cut to pieces. The Fisgard, in consequence, dropped astern ; and the Immortalité, profiting by the occasion, crowded sail to escape. At 1 h. 30 m. p.m., by the active exertions of her crew, the Fisgard was again alongside her opponent ; and a cannonade now commenced, more furious than the first. At the end of half an hour the Fisgard had received some shots so low in the hull, as to have six feet water in the hold. Still her resolute crew persevered; and at 3 p.m., after nearly an hour and a half's close engagement, the Immortalité, then nearly in a sinking state from the Fisgard's shot, and having her mizenmast gone close to the deck, and her fore and main masts, and all her other spars, as well as rigging and sails, much cut ; and having,

* See vol. i., p. 325.

^ back to top ^