1815	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	372

Captain and senior officer the Honourable George Douglas. At 1 h. 45 m. the Constitution got sight of the Levant, then bearing right ahead of her. At 4 p.m., having stood on to ascertain the character of the stranger, the Cyane made the private signal ; and, finding it not answered, bore up for her consort, with the signal flying for an enemy. The Constitution immediately made all sail in chase, and at 5 p.m. commenced firing her larboard bow guns, but ceased soon afterwards, finding her shot fall short. At 5 h. 30 m., the Cyane having arrived within hail of the Levant, Captain Douglas expressed to Captain Gordon his resolution to engage the enemy's frigate (known from previous information to be the Constitution), notwithstanding her superior force, in the hope, by disabling her, to save two valuable convoys, that had sailed from Gibraltar a few days previous in company with the two British ships.

At 5 h. 45 m. p.m. the Levant and Cyane made all sail upon a wind, in order to try for the weathergage. In 10 minutes, finding they could not accomplish their object, the two ships bore up, with the view of delaying the commencement of the action until night ; when they might hope, by skilful manoeuvring, to engage with more advantage. The superior sailing of the Constitution defeating that plan also, the Levant and Cyane, at 6 p.m., hauled to the wind on the starboard tack, formed in head and stern line, at the distance of rather less than 200 yards apart. At 6 h. 5 m. the Constitution, all three ships having previously hoisted their colours, opened her larboard broadside upon the Cyane, at the distance of about three quarters of a mile on the latter's weather beam. The Cyane promptly returned the fire ; but her shot, being all fired from carronades, fell short, while the frigate's long 24-pounders were producing their full effect. In 15 minutes the Constitution ranged ahead, and became engaged in the same manner with the Levant. The Cyane now luffed up for the larboard quarter of the Constitution : whereupon the latter, backing astern, was enabled to pour into the Cyane her whole broadside.

Meanwhile the Levant had bore up, to wear round and assist her consort. The Constitution thereupon filled, shot ahead, and gave the Levant two stern rakes. Seeing this, the Cyane, although without a brace or bowline except the larboard fore brace, wore, and gallantly stood between the Levant and Constitution. The latter then promptly wore, and raked the Cyane astern. The Cyane immediately luffed up as well as she could, and fired her larboard broadside at the starboard bow of the Constitution. The latter soon afterwards ranged up on the larboard quarter of the Cyane, within hail, and was about to pour in her starboard broadside ; when, at 6 h. 50 m. p.m., having had most of her standing and running rigging cut to pieces, her main and mizen masts left in a tottering state, and other principal spars wounded, several shot in the hull, nine or ten

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