1810	Captain Pym at Grand-Port	289

recommenced firing at the Néréide the Magicienne renewed her fire at the French shipping and the shore ; but the Iphigenia, being then in the act of warping, could not bring a gun to bear : indeed the Iphigenia, since soon after midnight, had been obliged to send to the Sirius for a supply of 18-pound shot.

Having before 7 a.m. warped the Iphigenia to the eastward of the shoal, which had on the preceding evening prevented him from closing with the Minerve after the latter had drifted from her station, Captain Lambert was extremely desirous to run down and endeavour to carry by boarding the Bellone and the other grounded French ships. Lieutenant Chads, with a message to this effect, and a proposal to take on board a portion of the crews of the Sirius and Magicienne, went immediately to Captain Pym ; who returned for answer, that Captain Lambert must continue warping out, as he and his officers had still hopes of getting the Sirius afloat, The French shot continuing to hull the Iphigenia, Captain Lambert sent Lieutenant Edward Grimes to Captain Pym, to say that he should be obliged to recommence the action in his own defence. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Watling came from the Sirius, with a note from Captain Pym, ordering Captain Lambert to warp out. The Iphigenia accordingly resumed her labours ; and, as soon as she had hauled a little further off, the French directed the whole of their fire at the Magicienne. By 10 a.m. the Iphigenia had warped herself close to the Sirius ; and these two frigates commenced a fire upon the French, who were endeavouring to remount the guns at the battery on shore.

Either because he was not willing to risk his boats while the British frigates still kept up their fire, or that his whole attention was taken up in preparations to resist an attack, of the nature of that contemplated by the Iphigenia's gallant captain, the French commodore did not send to take possession of the Néréide until nearly 3 p.m. Lieutenant Albert-René Roussin went on board the Néréide for that purpose ; and, having caused all the guns to be spiked, took with him the 20 Frenchmen who had been prisoners, and returned to the shore with every man of his party. This officer reported, that he found 100 dead or dying upon the Néréide's decks. " M. le Lieutenant de vaisseau Roussin," says Captain Duperré, " fut envoyé amariner la Néréide. Il la trouva dans un état impossible à décrire ; 100 morts ou mourans étaient sur les ponts : son ca M. Willoughby, était blessé." We must suppose that, in the course of the 17 hours which had elapsed since the discontinuance of the action by the Néréide, a portion of her killed had been thrown overboard. This account of M. Roussin, therefore, tends greatly to confirm the statement we have given, of the Néréide's almost unexampled loss of men.

It being found utterly impracticable to get off the Magicienne, who lay with between eight and nine feet water in the hold, expose to a heavy fire from the enemy, without the means of

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