24     LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS     1811

to the British, on condition that he, his officers, and ship's company, and the troops in garrison on shore, should be sent to France, without being considered as prisoners of war. The terms were agreed to ; and on the 26th the fort of Tamatave and its dependencies, the frigate and a vessel or two in the port, were taken possession of by Captain Schomberg; who, having first, as a precautionary measure on account of the number of prisoners in the two frigates, caused the guns on the battery to be spiked, went into Tamatave with his squadron.

Having thus disposed of two of M. Roquebert's three frigates, we will endeavour to show what became of the other. Captain Saint-Cricq made so good a use of the entire state of the Clorinde's rigging and sails,, that by daylight on the 21st he had run completely out of sight of both friends and foes. After ruminating awhile on his " melancholy " situation, the French captain bent his course towards the Seychelle islands ; under one of which he anchored, and on the 7th of June set sail on his return to France. On the 26th the Clorinde reached the island of Diego-Garcia; and, having obtained some cocoas and a supply of wood and water, sailed thence on the 28th, and on the 1st of August rounded the Cape of Good Hope. Between the 23d of August and 16th of September, Captain Saint-Cricq fell in with several English and American provision-laden merchant vessels, and from among them supplied the principal part of his wants.

On the 24th, when close to the port of her destination, the Clorinde was very near sharing the fate of her late consorts. At daylight she was discovered and chased by the British 80-gun ship Tonnant, Captain Sir John Gore ; who ineffectually endeavoured to cut her off from entering the passage du Raz. At noon the Tonnant fired a, shot at the Clorinde ; and at about 1 h. 30 m. p.m., when the Saintes islands bore north-east by north four miles, discharged her broadside. The British 80 continued the chase, in a fresh gale at north-west and heavy sea, and passed through the Raz. At 2 p.m., when running, under a press of sail, between the Vieille rock and Pointe Carnarvan and coming up fast with the frigate, the Tonnant lost her main topmast and fore and mizen topgallantmasts by the violence of the wind.

The latter nevertheless opened a smart fire upon the Clorinde, then within little more than pistol-shot distance ; but the frigate, having judiciously reduced her sails when the squall came on, now possessed them all in a perfect state, and soon outran her pursuer. After receiving a few harmless shot from the battery on Pointe Trépassée, the Tonnant gave over the chase; and at 5 p.m. the Clorinde anchored in the road of Brest.

It unfortunately happened, that the action off Madagascar was not allowed to pass without a charge, an implied charge, at all events, of misconduct on the British side. Having previously stated, in his official letter, Captain Losack's report of the

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