privateer immediately put about, and a running action ensued between her and the Gipsy ; so much, however, private to the former's disadvantage, that she ran on the Colorados reef, and was totally wrecked. Seeing the fate of their companion, the remaining four privateers crowded sail away, and left the Gipsy to remain unmolested upon her station. In three days afterwards the Princess-Charlotte arrived on the spot, and Lieutenant Fitton delivered to Captain Gardner the despatches with which he had been charged.

On the 3d of February, at daylight, Cape Caxine in sight bearing south, as the British ship-sloop Arrow, Captain Richard Budd Vincent, and bomb-ship Acheron, Captain Arthur Farquhar, having in charge (except one which had foundered in a squall three days before) the whole of a convoy of 35 merchant vessels from Malta bound to England, were steering west by north, with a light breeze from the north-east, two large sail were discovered bearing east-south-east of the Acheron, then in the rear of the fleet. At 8 h. 30 m. A.M. the course of the fleet was altered by signal to west-north-west. At 10 h. 30 m. A.M., in obedience to a signal from the Arrow, the Acheron wore and stood towards the strangers, to ascertain their character. At 11 15 A.M. Captain Farquhar communicated that they were suspicious, and presently afterwards, that they were frigates. The vessels of the convoy on each quarter were now signalled to close. At noon Cape Albatel bore south by west half-west distant 10 or 11 leagues.

At two minutes past noon the Arrow cast off the brig which she had been towing, wore, and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, for the purpose of joining the Acheron ; who had also wore, and was returning to the convoy, under all sail, with light winds from the eastward. In the course of the succeeding quarter of an hour, the customary signals were made to the convoy for its safety ; and the Duchess-of-Rutland, a warlike-looking transport, was directed to lead the fleet on its course. At half past noon the Acheron hoisted her colours and fired a gun. The chasing ships paying no attention to this, not a doubt remained that they were enemies ; and a signal to that effect was immediately made to the ships of the convoy, with orders for them to make all possible sail to the appointed rendezvous. At 2 P.M. the Arrow, having tacked to the northward, brought to for the Acheron. At this time the two strangers, which were the French 40-gun frigate Hortense, Captain Louis-Charles-Auguste La Marie-le-Meillerie, and 38-gun frigate Incorruptible, Captain Simon Billiet, continued their course about west-north-west, under all sail, with light winds. These frigates, having parted from the Toulon fleet in a violent gale of wind, * had since cruised near the Straits of Gibraltar for some days, and not finding their

*  See vol. iii., p. 325.

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