on shore. At 6-30, the Minerve, having had her cable shot away, made sail after the Ceylon. Both these ships grounded near the Bellone; but the Ceylon first ran foul of the latter, and compelled her to cut and run aground also: the Bellone, however, lay in such a position that her broadside still bore on the Nereide[1].”
La Bellone did not cut in consequence of the Ceylon running foul of her; but voluntarily, and that for the express purpose of getting further from la Nereide’s fire, as is implied in Captain Pym’s letter, and tacitly admitted by Monsieur Duperré. Mr. James continues his account in the following terms:–
At a few minutes before 7 P.M , the Nereide’s spring was shot away, and the ship immediately swung stern on to the Bellone’s broadside. A most severe raking fire followed. To avoid this, and bring her starboard broadside to bear, the Nereide cut her small bower cable, and, letting go the best, succeeded so far in her object. At about 10 P.M., or a little afterwards, a piece of grape, or langridge, from one of the Nereide’s guns, cut Captain Duperré on the head, and knocked him senseless upon the deck. As the fire of the Minerve was now completely masked by that of the Bellone, Captain Bouvet removed from the former on board the latter, and took the command.”
La Nereide did not make use of langridge, but grape and canister she discharged in abundance; which no other ship was near enough the enemy to do.
The fire of la Minerve was never completely masked by la Bellone. On the contrary, that of her long 18-pounders and two 36-pounder carronades continued incessantly to play upon la Nereide during the remainder of her five hours’ desperate and sanguinary battle, the whole time within hail of la Bellone.
Since the early part of the action. Captain Willoughby had been severely wounded by a splinter on the left check, which had also torn his eye completely out of the socket. The first Lieutenant lay mortally, and the second most dangerously wounded; 1 marine oificer, 2 officers of foot, 1 of artillery, 2 midshipmen, and the greater part of the crew and soldiers, wore either killed or disabled. Most of the quarter-deck, and several of the main-deck guns were dismounted; the hull of the ship was shattered in all directions, and striking the ground astern. His frigate being in this state, and five hours having
- ↑ Nav. Hist. v, p. 415.
