1810	British Indiamen and French Frigates	263

Captain Meriton now telegraphed his two companions: "As we cannot get away, I think we had better go under easy sail, and bring them to action before dark." The Astell answered, " Certainly." The Windham replied : " If we make all sail and get into smooth water under the land, we can engage to more advantage. " At 10 a.m. the three Indiamen, on account of the increasing power of the breeze, hove to and took in the third reef of their topsails ; and even then the ships lay over so much, and the sea ran so high, that they could not keep open their lowerdeck lee ports. At 11 h. 30 m. the Minerve tacked in the wake of the Indiamen and at the distance of about six miles from them ; and shortly afterwards the Bellone, about four miles upon the lee beam, and the Victor about the same distance upon the weather quarter, also tacked. Perceiving the Minerve coming up astern very fast, Captain Meriton telegraphed: " Form the line abreast, to bear on ships together, Ceylon in the centre." Accordingly the Windham, Ceylon, and Astell, formed a close line in the order named, and awaited the coming up of the enemy ; the two nearest ships of which, the Victor and Minerve, were fast approaching on the weather or starboard quarter.

At 2 h. to m. p.m. the Minerve, having arrived abreast of the British centre, and as well as the Victor who was ahead of her, hoisted French colours, fired one shot at the Windham, and then her whole larboard broadside into the Ceylon. The latter was at this time so close astern of her consort as almost to touch her; but. the Astell was considerably to leeward and astern of the Ceylon. The corvette opening her fire, the action became general between the Minerve and Victor on one side, and the Windham, Ceylon, and Astell on the other. The Ceylon, however, from her situation directly a-beam of the frigate, certainly bore the brunt of the engagement. In a little while, finding the fire of the British too heavy for her, the corvette bore up and passed to leeward of the Astell. At 3 h. 40 m. p.m. Captain Hay of the latter ship was severely wounded, and the command of the Astell devolved upon Mr. William Hawkey, the chief mate.

At 4 p.m. the Minerve shot ahead, and then bore down as if with the intention of boarding the Windham. This being a mode of attack to which the Indiamen, from the number of troops they had on board, were not much averse, the Windham, made sail for the purpose of striking the French frigate on the larboard quarter, and the Ceylon and Astell closed their consort to co-operate with her in the manoeuvre. But the Windham, having had her sails and rigging greatly damaged, did not possess way enough to accomplish the object, and the Minerve passed athwart her hawse at the distance of only a few yards. In the mean time all three Indiamen, by means of their troops, had maintained upon the Minerve an incessant and well-directed fire of musketry. Just as the latter got out of gun-shot, the

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