frigate was assisted by several boats, and subsequently by her sails, which she loosed in order to take advantage of a light air that sprang up from the north-east. At 2 h. 40 m. P.M. hoisting French colours and a broad pendant, the Sémillante commenced firing her stern-chasers at the Harrier; from whom the Phaëton was then distant about three miles in the north-west. The battery began firing also ; and in two minutes afterwards the Harrier, being off the north point of the bay, opened her starboard broadside at the frigate. Finding the water to shoal from ten to seven, and then to five and four fathoms, the brig hove to ; but still continued a smart fire, receiving a fire in return from the battery and frigate.

At a few minutes past 3 P.M. the Phaëton got up and joined in the cannonade ; and a round-tower now added its fire to that of the battery at the south point. The British frigate and sloop, although, from the difficulty of the navigation and the lightness of the breeze, unable to close as they wished, continued to engage. At 4 P.M. the brig wore and fought her larboard guns, and at 4 h. 30 m. P.M. caught fire in her larboard-waist hammock-cloths, supposed to have been caused by red-hot shot fired from the battery. The fire, however, was soon extinguished. The weather now became nearly calm, and the brig, in consequence, began driving towards the reef. At 5 P.M., finding that the Phaëton could not get alongside of the French frigate without warping, and that his boats would, in such a case, run the risk of being cut to pieces by the shot from the battery, Captain Wood ceased firing and hauled off, and signalled Captain Ratsey to do the same. The Harrier, by means of her boats, towed her head round ; and, in a minute or two afterwards, the action ended.

The Phaëton had her sails, rigging, and some of her masts, particularly her mizen topmast, damaged by the enemy's fire. Three of her boats were also injured, and she received nine shot in her hull ; but, fortunately, the frigate had only two men wounded. The Harrier having, from her nearness to the shore at its commencement, bore the brunt of the action, suffered rather more than her consort. Her rigging and sails were much cut, and all her boats more or less damaged. Her masts were also injured, particularly her mainmast, which she was obliged to fish to prevent it from falling. The fire from the Sémillante and batteries had been aimed chiefly at the rigging of the two British vessels ; and that it was which occasioned the Harrier's loss to be no greater than the Phaëton's, two men wounded.

The British stood off for the night, and at daylight on the 3d, having a fine breeze off shore, tacked and stood in to reconnoitre. They found that, during the night, the Sémillante had warped herself close to the beach ; and that, for her further protection, a six-gun battery had been erected on the north point. The Phaëton and Harrier waited off the road until the morning

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