Astrée on her weather bow. A sudden fall in the wind enabled the latter ship to retain her position ; and thus lay the Africaine, with one ship of equal force within half pistol-shot on her larboard board beam, and another, of the same or a greater force, close on her starboard bow, raking her with a most destructive fire of round, grape, and langridge.

At 3 h. 30 m. a.m. the Africaine had her jib-boom and fore topmast shot away, and shortly afterwards her mizen topmast. Lieutenant Tullidge, by this time, had been severely wounded in four places, but could not be persuaded to go below. Lieutenant Forder, the next officer in seniority, had been shot through the breast with a musket-ball, and taken below; and at 4.a.m. the master had his head carried off by a round shot. Still the Africaine continued the action ; but her fire gradually grew feebler, until about 4 h. 45 m. a.m., when it entirely ceased. The ship was now with her three lower masts reduced to a tottering state, her hull pierced in all directions, her quarterdeck nearly cleared of officers and men, and her main deck so thinned, that only six guns could be properly manned. Being in this disabled state, seeing also, from the calm state of the weather ; no chance of relief from the Boadicea, whom the opening daylight discovered about four or five miles off, and having no hope of escape, nor means of further resistance, the Africaine, at a few minutes before 5 a.m., hauled down her colours. Although this was done, and every light extinguished, the French, contrary to the law of arms, continued, for nearly 15 minutes, to fire into the British frigate; whereby Captain Elliott of the army (by a grape-shot at the back of his head) and several men killed.

The Africaine was armed like other frigates of her class except in having two additional 9-pounders on her forecastle, making her total number of guns 48. Of her complement, including the detachment of soldiers, of 295 men and boys, the Africaine had her master (Samuel Parker), Captain Elliott of the army, 28 seamen, 14 private marines, and five soldiers killed, her captain (mortally), first and second lieutenants. (Joseph Crew Tullidge and Robert Forder, severely), first lieutenant of marines (James Jackson, this time * severely), two master's mates (John Theed and Jenkin Jones), two midshipmen (Charles Mercier and Robert Leech), one lieutenant of the army (Horne), 76 seamen, 12 private marines, and 17 soldiers (leaving only three out of the 25 in an effective state) wounded ; total, 49 killed and 114 wounded. Captain Corbett had his leg amputated below the knee during the action, and died about six hours after the operation had been performed. Had he survived, he must have submitted to a second amputation above the compound fracture. The surgeon, although a skilful man, was himself a

* See p. 299.

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