that at 10 h. 45 m. a.m. the d'Haupoult broached to and discharged her main and quarter deck guns, cutting, away two of the brig's fore shrouds on the larboard side and doing other damage to her rigging, but fortunately, wounding no one. Even this did not intimidate Captain Napier; for, no sooner had the d'Haupoult resumed her course before the wind, than the Recruit ran across her stern, and poured in one or two broadsides, receiving in return a fire from the 74's stern-chasers. The Pompée also joined occasionally in the running fight ; and thus the day passed. At 8 p.m. the French ships separated, the d'Haupoult altering her course to west-north-west, while her two consorts continued steering west-south-west. The Pompée immediately hauled up after the d'Haupoult and was at this time about three miles to the eastward of the latter, full five miles to the east-north-east of the Courageux and Polonais, and about the same distance ahead of the Neptune ; who, since the forenoon, had detached the Hazard and Supérieure, and was now in company with only the Hawk brig. At midnight the Pompée could no longer see the two French ships in the west-south-west, but still kept sight of the d'Haupoult.

On the 16th, at daylight, the wind still from the eastward, the d'Haupoult was about three miles north-west half-west, and the Neptune about nine miles south-east half-east, of the Pompée The Recruit, having dropped astern, on account probably of her damaged rigging, was not now in sight. In the course of the forenoon the British 38-gun frigate Latona, Captain Hugh Pigot, and 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Castor, Captain William Roberts, made their appearance in the north-east, and soon joined in the chase. At 5 p.m. the Neptune was no longer visible from the Pompée's mast-head ; and the latter ship and the d'Haupoult sailed so nearly alike, that no apparent alteration had taken place in the distance between them since the preceding day. At 5 h. 30 m. p.m. the high land of Porto-Rico was seen from the Pompée bearing north-north-east, about nine leagues distant. The night shut in extremely dark, and the ships, as they approached the land, were baffled with light and variable winds from the northward and westward. By midnight the Castor had got so far ahead as to be on the starboard bow of the Pompée but the Latona had not been able to advance beyond the latter's starboard quarter.

On the 17th, at 2 h. 45 m. a.m., the Castor shortened sail ; and at 3 A, M., when within little more than half a mile of the d'Haupoult's starboard quarter, commenced a fire with her larboard guns. In this way the action was maintained between an English 12-pounder frigate and a French 74 until 4 a.m. ; when, owing to the latter having had frequently to yaw to bring her guns to bear the Pompée got up. Passing between the Castor and her opponent, the Pompée engaged the d'Haupoult within musket-shot distance, gradually closing until 5 h. 15 m.

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