1810	Boadicea with Venus and Manche	297

continued it until 8 h. 30 m. p.m. on the 30th, when the Boadicea reached in safety the road of Saint-Denis, Isle Bourbon. On the 31st, in the morning, the Vénus and Manche made sail from before the road. On the following day, the 1st of September, they chased ineffectually the British gun-brig Staunch, and late in the evening anchored in the harbour of Port-Louis ; where, had just previously arrived, the Astrée and Entreprenant.

Commodore Rowley, as soon as he had cast anchor, despatched an express across to the bay of St.-Paul, with directions to Captain James Tomkinson, of the ship-sloop Otter, then dismantled for heaving down, to move, with his ships company, on board the Windham, and join the Boadicea off the island ; meaning, with this reinforcement, to proceed in search of the two French frigates. When the Boadicea arrived off St.-Paul's, expecting to be joined by the Windham, the commodore learnt that Captain Tomkinson, considering that ship to be unfit for immediate service, had declined the command of her. In consequence of this, Captain Henry Lynne, of the Emma government transport, with a highly commendable zeal and indefatigable exertions, fitted that ship with the guns of the Windham, and presently joined the Boadicea off the road of St.-Paul. The latter, accompanied by the Emma, immediately made sail towards the Isle of France ; but, soon discovering that the transport could not keep company with the frigate, the commodore detached the Emma to cruise between Isle Ronde and Rodriguez in order to give notice to any friendly ships she might fall in with, of the comparative state of the British and French naval forces on the station. The Boadicea then proceeded alone off Isle de la Passe, and found the Iphigenia gone, but plainly saw four ships at anchor in Grand-Port; the Bellone, with topgallant yards across and sails bent, and in apparent readiness for sea, the Minerve, with jury topmasts, and the Néréide with jury main and mizen masts. Finding that nothing could be effected by a single frigate as matters then stood, the Boadicea put about, and on the 11th reanchored in the road of St.-Paul.

No sooner had the Vénus, Manche, Astrée, and Entreprenant arrived at Port-Louis, than the governor-general of the Isle of France began taking measures to profit by the naval ascendancy which the French had so unexpectedly acquired in these seas. A squadron, to consist of the Iphigénie (late Iphigenia), Captain Bouvet, Astrée, Entreprenant, and Victor, was to be immediately formed, and placed under the orders of the former. Accordingly, on the 3d of September, the Astrée and Entreprenant quitted Port-Louis, to effect their junction with the Iphigénie and Victor off Isle de la Passe. On the 9th this object was effected ; and in the afternoon Captain Bouvet detached the Victor round to Port-Louis, to bring some articles

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