to him, of blowing up his ship and her neighbours with her, when an event occurred which changed the fortunes of the day.
Suddenly, at half-past five, the wind shifted from the south-west to the east-south-east. This enabled the vanguard of the French fleet to come to the aid of, and to cover, its centre. At the same time the English fleet wore. But on resuming its position it had no longer the hardly-pressed ships of the French centre to encounter, but those of the vanguard which till then had only engaged at a distance and were comparatively fresh.
The battle then re-engaged. But now it was the turn of the French. The Hero lost her mainmast at twenty minutes past six and her mizenmast soon after. The maintopmast of the Worcester was shot away about the same time. The Superb, the Barford, the Eagle, and the Monmouth had previously been disabled.
At length night fell, and the engagement ceased — another drawn battle. Both fleets remained all night near the scene of action. The next morning that of the French entered the harbour of Trincomali, the English set sail for Madras.[1]
- ↑ It is very difficult to reconcile the accounts given by the rival actors of the latter part of the action. The English writers assert that the French entered the harbour that very night. Vice-Admiral Bouët-Willaumez and the French authorities of the time assert that Suffren signalled to chase the English, but that they got away; and that the French entered Trincomali the next morning. Truth would appear to be that both sides were thoroughly exhausted, and were glad to discontinue the battle; that both anchored that night near to where they had fought, and that the French entered the harbour early in the morning.
