1815	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	364

owing to the advance of the Endymion on her starboard and lee quarter, the President luffed occasionally, to bring her stern guns to bear, and was evidently much galled ; whereas the greater part of her shot passed over the Endymion.

At 5 h. 30 m. p.m., the Endymion having for the last 20 minutes maintained a position within half point-blank shot on her quarter, the President brailed up her spanker, and bore away south, to bring her antagonist upon her beam and endeavour to effect her escape to leeward. Putting her helm hard a-weather, the Endymion met the manoeuvre ; and the two frigates came to close action in a parallel line of sailing. At 6 h. 4 m. p.m. the President commenced with musketry from her tops, and the Endymion returned the fire with her marines ; hauling up occasionally, to close her antagonist, without losing the bearing of her broadside. The two ships were now not more than half musket-shot apart ; the Endymion with her rigging and sails considerably cut, and the President with the principal part of her damage in the hull, as betrayed by the slackened state of her fire.

At 6 h. 45 m. the President hauled up, apparently to avoid her opponent's fire. Profiting by this, the Endymion poured in two raking broadsides ; then hauled up also, and again placed herself on the President's starboard quarter. At 7 h. 15 m. the President shot away the Endymion's boat from her larboard quarter, also her lower and maintopgallant studding-sails. From 7 h. 18 m. to 7 h. 25 m. the President did not return a shot to the vigorous fire still maintained by the Endymion. Recommencing, then, the President shot away the Endymion's maintopmast studding-sail and main brace, and at 7 h. 32 m. hauled suddenly to the wind, as if to try the strength of her antagonist's masts. Having no fear for these, the Endymion trimmed sails. and, hauling up, bestowed another raking fire ; to which the President, now evidently much shattered, replied with a discharge from one stern gun. In 10 minutes the American frigate kept more away, firing only at intervals ; and at 7 h. 58 m. ceased altogether and showed, or appeared to show (for we are doubtful of the fact), a light. Conceiving that the President had struck, the Endymion also ceased firing, and began to bend new sails, her present ones having been cut into ribands by the President's bar and chain shot; one of which had torn away 12 or 14 cloths of her foresail, stripping it almost from the yard.

While the Endymion was thus compelled to drop astern, the President continued her course to the eastward, under a crowd of canvass, much relieved, no doubt, by the absence of the former. At 11 h. 15 m. p.m. the Pomone gained a position upon the President's larboard quarter, and, luffing up, fired her starboard broadside, but did little or no damage. The President immediately shortened sail and luffed up also, as if to pour a broadside into the Pomone. Instead of that, however, the

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