1811     ACTION OFF MADAGASCAR     23

and men. In this state of things, the surprise is, that the French did not retake their ship. It appears that the crew wished to do so ; but that Colonel Barrois, who, according to the etiquette of the French service, was now the commanding officer, acting upon a principle of honour which some of the French naval captains would do well to imitate, refused to give his sanction to the proceeding. Hence Lieutenant Royer and his few hands remained throughout the night in quiet possession of the prize ; but were not permitted, when daylight came, to hoist the English over the French flag, nor to make any signal, either to the Galatea who was to windward, or to the Astrea and her consorts, who were at a great distance to leeward of them. Not knowing, of course, that the Renommée had been captured, and getting no answer to his signals, from this ship for the reason already stated, nor from the Astrea and Phoebe because of their great distance off, Captain Losack doubted if it was not the French squadron of which he was in sight ; and, while the Renommée bore up to join the Astrea and Phoebe, the Galatea made the best of her way to Port-Louis.

Having taken out the prisoners from the Renommée, and placed on board a proper prize-crew, Captain Schomberg now first learnt the situation of Tamatave. The damaged state of the Phoebe not admitting her to beat up quickly against the wind and current, Captain Schomberg despatched the Racehorse in advance, to summon the French garrison to surrender. On the evening of the 24th the brig rejoined the Astrea, with the intelligence of the arrival of the Néréide, at Tamatave. As this was the nearest port in which he could get his ship repaired, Lieutenant Ponée had proceeded straight thither, and immediately moored the Néréide, in the most advantageous manner for resisting the attack which he hourly expected to be made.

The Astrea, Phoebe, and Racehorse immediately made sail for Tamatave, but were prevented by a strong gale from getting a sight of the French frigate, until the afternoon of the 25th ; when, no one in the British squadron possessing any local knowledge of the spot, and it being considered impracticable to sound the passage between the reefs without being exposed to the fire of the frigate and a battery of 10 or 12 guns, Captain Schomberg sent Captain De Rippe, with a flag of truce at his brig's mast-head, and a summons of surrender to the French commanding officer. In that summons the latter is informed, that the " Renommée and Clorinde have struck after a brave defence." The inference here intended is pretty clear, and a ruse may be allowed in such cases ; but an officer should be cautious how he signs his name to a document bearing upon the face of it what may afterwards subject his veracity to be called in question.

Lieutenant Ponée like a brave man, refused to surrender unconditionally ; but proposed to deliver up the frigate and fort

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