pass to windward of the island. On the 25th, just as the three frigates had arrived abreast of Port-Louis, the commodore received, by an aviso, intelligence of the successful issue of affairs at Grand-Port, with orders to possess himself of the Iphigenia, as well as of the island that protected her.

On the 27th, at 1 p.m., the Vénus, Astrée, and Manche arrived and lay to off Isle de la Passe ; and at 5 p.m. Commodore Hamelin summoned Captain Lambert to surrender at discretion both his frigate and the island. Captain Lambert refused to do this, but offered to surrender the island in its present state, provided the Iphigenia was allowed with the officers and men on board of her, and upon the island, to retire to any British port that should be pointed out. At sunset the Iphigenia got close to Isle de la Passe, but not in a good birth. As soon as it was dark Captain Lambert sent the launch to Bourbon under the command of Mr. John Jenkins, the late master of the Sirius.

On the 28th, at daylight, it was found that, owing to her insufficient tackle, the Iphigenia had drifted out into the middle of the passage. At 7 h. 30 m. a.m. a second flag of truce came from the frigates outside. By this the French commodore urged his previous demand, and promised that the officers and men in the frigate and on the island should be allowed their parole. At the moment that the flag of truce arrived from Commodore Hamelin, another was seen pulling from the harbour of Grand-Port. At 9 a.m. this came on board, and proved to be a summons from Governor Decaen. To Commodore Hamelin, Captain Lambert replied, offering to surrender the Iphigenia and Isle de la Passe on the next day at 10 a.m., provided the French government, would furnish, within a month, a conveyance for the crew of the frigate and the garrison of the island to the Cape of Good Hope or any other British possession. To the governor-general, Captain Lambert sent copies of his correspondence with Commodore Hamelin, and expressed a hope that his excellency would require no alteration in the terms proposed.

At 1 p.m. came a second letter from the governor-general. In this M. Decaen pledged the faith of his government that, within a month, he would send the crew of the Iphigenia, and the garrison of the little island under which she lay, either to the Cape of Good Hope or to England, on condition of not serving till regularly exchanged. A threat, we believe, accompanied this summons, to the effect that, if Captain Lambert did not accede to the terms proposed by General Decaen, the French frigates, both without and within the harbour, would commence an attack upon the Iphigenia and Isle de la Passe; and, on carrying them, of which there could be no doubt, would put the crew and garrison to the sword. In this extremity, with only 16 tons of water to support upwards of 800 officers and men, including nearly 50 wounded and sick : surrounded by a force amounting, were she in the best state of equipment, to a fivefold

^ back to top ^