1810	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	228

Néréide, fired her maindeck stern-chasers at the Rainbow ; and in 10 minutes the French captain cut away his stern-boat, in order that the quarterdeck chasers might also bear. A shot about this time carried away the Rainbow's larboard foretop-mast studding-sail boom. At 2 h. 30 m. p.m. the French frigate, whose course had been north-west by west, hauled by degrees more to the southward, and at 3 h. 30 m. p.m. opened her broadside upon the Rainbow ; who, hauling up also, in five minutes returned the fire. A warm action now ensued between this British 22-gun ship and French 40-gun frigate, until 4 p.m., when the Avon came up and raked the Néréide, with a broadside. At 4 h. 5 m. p.m., leaving the Rainbow in a totally unmanageable state, the Néréide, wore ; as well to evade the raking of the Avon, as to punish her for her temerity. Between the British brig and French frigate an action now commenced, and continued until 5 p.m. ; when, having reduced this opponent to even a worse state than her first one, the Néréide, bore away under courses, topsails, stay-sails, and main and mizen topgallant-sails.

The greater part of the Rainbow's standing and running rigging was cut to pieces, and her masts and yards were much wounded ; but, owing to the high firing of her antagonist, her hull was not materially injured. It was this high firing that occasioned the loss of the Rainbow, out of a crew on board of 156 men and boys, to be so comparatively slight as 10 seamen and marines wounded. The Avon, in her rigging and sails, was as much disabled as her consort, and suffered more in her masts ; which, along with her bowsprit, were completely crippled. The brig's hull, although much lower, and therefore more difficult to hit, than the Rainbow's, appears to have received the greater proportion of the Néréide, shot. Her upperworks were cut. Through ; and several shot had entered between wind and water, causing her to have three feet water in the hold. The Avon had also two of her guns disabled, one man killed, another mortally wounded, and one acting lieutenant (Curtis Reid), one midshipman, and five men wounded severely.

What loss was sustained by the French frigate in this encounter, we have no means of ascertaining ; and the only visible damage which the Néréide, received, besides some cut rigging, was her fore topgallant yard shot away. On ceasing her fire, the Néréide, resumed her course to the north-west, and at 6 p.m. was out of sight of her two opponents ; who, as soon as the Avon had joined the Rainbow, then about three mile distant in the south by east, made all the sail they could for Jamaica, and on the 16th anchored in the harbour of Port Royal. The Néréide, in all probability, conveyed to France the account of the fall of Guadaloupe before it was known in England. The Scorpion carried home the English despatches ;

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