1811	Alceste and Active with Pauline and Pomone	377

stood to the north-east. The Active now steered for the Persanne, but was immediately recalled, and the Unité detached after her. In the mean time the Alceste and Active continued in pursuit of the Pauline and Pomone, and, especially the Alceste, were rather gaining upon them. At 11 h. 50 m. a.m. Captain Maxwell telegraphed the Active, " Remember the battle of Lissa." At 30 minutes past noon, just as the rocky island of Pelagosa bore from the Alceste south-west distant five leagues, the Persanne was seen to fire her stern chase-guns at the Unité, and to receive in return a fire from the latter 's bow chasers.

At 1 h. 20 m. p.m. the Alceste, then running above nine knots an hour with the wind on the larboard quarter, fired a shot from her foremost gun on the starboard side directly into the larboard quarter of the Pomone ; who immediately hoisted a French ensign and pendant, and fired a single shot, which splintered the Alceste's main topgallantmast. The Pauline, who was close ahead of the Pomone, also hoisted her colours, with a commodore's broad pendant. At 1 h. 24 m., being still under a crowd of sail to get to the French commodore, the Alceste opened her broadside upon the Pomone, and received a fire in return. At 1 h. 40 m., when directly a-beam of the Pomone, with every prospect of quickly reaching the Pauline, who had taken in her royals to keep nearer to her consort, the Alceste received a shot from the Pomone, which carried away her main topmast just above the cap. As the wreck, with the topgallant and royal studding-sails fell over on the starboard side, and the Alceste in consequence dropped a little astern, " cheers of ` Vive l'empereur ! "' says Captain Maxwell, " resounded from both ships they thought the day their own, not aware of what a second I had in my gallant friend Captain Gordon, who pushed the Active up under every sail."

At about 2 p.m., having gained a station on the starboard or lee quarter of the Pomone, the Active brought that frigate to close action. At about 2 h. 20 m. p.m., resetting his royals, the French commodore braced up, and presently tacked and stood for the weather beam of the Alceste, At 2 h. 30 m. the latter and the Pauline became closely engaged. At about 3 h. 5 m. p.m., seeing that the Pomone stood no chance with the Active, and observing, probably, the British 18-gun ship-sloop Kingfisher, Captain Ewell Tritton, approaching in the distance, the French commodore set all sail and stood to the westward. Shortly afterwards the Active, although with all three topsails to the mast, unavoidably shot ahead of her antagonist, and a suspension of the firing ensued. At about 3 h. 40 m. p.m., just as the Alceste had arrived up and opened a fire from her starboard broadside, the main and mizen masts of the Pomone came down by the board ; and almost immediately afterwards the French frigate hoisted a union-jack as the signal of his having struck.

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