1810	Africaine with Iphigénie and Astrée	301

fast, bore up to join her consort ; and at 7 h. 30 m. p.m. the Africaine was about two miles and a half on the weather quarter of the two frigates, with such a decided superiority in sailing, as to keep way with them under topsails and foresail, while they were carrying topgallantsails and courses.

Proceeding thus under easy sail, in order to allow the Boadicea time to get up, the Africaine, as soon as it grew dark, began firing rockets and burning blue-lights, to point out her situation to the Boadicea, between whom and the Africaine no signals, beyond the answering pendant of the latter to the Boadicea's number, had yet been exchanged. At 9 p.m. the Boadicea saw a flash in the south-east, and at 9 h. 30 m. p.m. observed the two French frigates and the Africaine burn blue-lights. At 1 h. 50 m. A.M. on the 13th, in the midst of a fresh squall, the French frigates bore up; and immediately the Africaine fearing their intention might be to run or wear, bore up also, and manned her starboard guns. At 2 h. 10 m. a.m. the Astrée and Iphigénie again hauled to the wind on the same tack ; and the Africaine, having hauled up likewise, found herself within less than musket-shot distance on the Astrée's weather quarter. The Boadicea was now four or five miles distant on the lee quarter of the Africaine ; but having been thrown, by accident, into so good a position, and knowing that a run of two or three hours more would bring the French to Port-Louis, Captain Corbett could not refrain from becoming the assailant.

Accordingly, at 2 h. 20 in. a.m., the Africaine fired her larboard guns, loaded with two round shot each, into the starboard and weather quarter of the Astrée, who immediately returned the fire. The second broadside from the Astrée mortally wounded Captain Corbett, a shot striking off his right foot above the ancle, and a blow from a splinter causing a compound fracture of the thigh of the same leg. The command of the Africaine now devolved upon Lieutenant Joseph Crew Tullidge ; who was ordered by Captain Corbett, as he was removing below, to bring the enemy to close action. At 2 h. 30 m. A.M. having had her jib-boom and the weather clue of her fore topsail shot away, and fearing that her bowsprit had suffered, the Astrée ranged ahead clear of the Africaine's guns. On this the men at the Africaine's foremost maindeck guns began hurraing, and the remainder of the ship's company caught and repeated the cheer. The lightness of the breeze, which had been gradually falling since the firing commenced, would have deprived the Africaine of her former advantage in point of sailing, even had the Astrée's fire not cut away the greater part of her running rigging : hence the Africaine had scarcely steerage-way through the water. The Iphigénie meanwhile, had bore up, and now took a station on the lee quarter of her consort. The breeze freshening a little at this time the Africaine made sail and running alongside the Iphigénie to windward, recommenced the action having the

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