1808	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	68

adapted for bringing her guns to bear with effect ; but the Sémillante constantly evaded every attempt of the latter to close. At 7 h. 45 m. p.m. the fire of the French frigate began to slacken, and at 8 p.m. wholly ceased. At this moment, taking advantage of the crippled state of her antagonist, the Sémillante bore up and made all sail to the southward and westward.

Being left with scarcely a brace, bowline, tack, or sheet, having her mizen rigging, fore and main stays, back-stays, main topsail, and spanker cut to pieces, and her main topmast and fore and mizen masts much wounded, the Terpsichore, to the mortification of her officers and crew, was unable, until 8 h. 15 m. p.m. to set any sail in pursuit of the flying enemy ; who, by a well-directed fire from her stern-chasers, did additional damage to the rigging of the Terpsichore, and at 10 p.m. dropped the latter out of gun-shot astern. At midnight the two ships were about one mile and a half apart, the British crew sleeping at their quarters. At 4 a.m. on the 16th the Sémillante, who had changed her course frequently, bore from the Terpsichore west by south distant nearly two miles. During the 16th, 17th, and 18th, the French frigate kept gradually increasing her distance, until sunset on the last-named day, when she was no longer to be seem. On the next morning, however, the two frigates again descried each other, both still running, under a press of sail, to the west-south-west. They continued in mutual sight during that day and the succeeding night. On the 20th, at 10 h. 30 m. a.m., favoured by a heavy squall, the Terpsichore, who by this time had repaired the principal damages in her rigging and was coming up fast with the Sémillante : whereupon the latter reopened a fire from her stern-chasers, double-shotted. That not checking the progress of her persevering adversary the Sémillante was compelled, in order to lighten herself, to cast away her stern-boat, throw overboard several of her guns, and a considerable quantity of lumber, and start the principal part of considerable her water and provisions. This produced the desired effect, and by midnight the Sémillante had run her pursuer effectually our of sight.

Out of her reduced crew of 180 men and boys, the Terpsichore lost, and that almost wholly by the explosion, one lieutenant (Charles Tanes) and 20 men killed, and 22 men wounded, two of them mortally. A French account of the affair represents the Sémillante as having suffered so much in her rigging as to be obliged to discontinue the action, but states nothing further respecting the loss which the French frigate must have sustained, than that Captain Motard was wounded in the head and shoulder, and compelled, in consequence, to quit his quarters. The captain's wound was, indeed, of a very serious nature if, as is alleged, it prevented the Sémillante from making a prize of the Terpsichore. "Ce combat eût été infailliblement terminé par la reddition de l'ennemi, si son feu, principalement dirigé pour

^ back to top ^