rived from the islands, with the Master and a boat’s crew of the Daring, and the crew of another vessel they had taken; whose accounts corroborating Lieutenant Pascoe’s report, I left Sierra Leone river, and worked up to the islands[1]. Standing in at day-light on the 6th ult., towards the island of Tamara, we joined the Princess Charlotte government schooner, who informed me one of the frigates was at anchor at a considerable distance to the northward of the other, which was apparently unloading the prize. I despatched the schooner to Sierra Leone, to leave directions to any ships that might arrive to repair to me. Having neared the island in the evening, the frigate to the northward weighed, and stood out to sea; the other frigate had signals flying, and being observed at sun-set with her top-sails hoisted, I stood off for the night; and the next morning, one of the frigates (I believe l’Aréthuse), was just visible from the deck: it was then calm. On a breeze springing up about noon, she stood towards us. As I had hopes of drawing her from her consort, we continued standing out to sea till sun-set; when not perceiving the other ship from the mast-head[2], and the breeze failing, we shortened sail, wore, and stood towards her. A little after seven, the enemy tacked, and hoisted his colours. At 7h 45', being within pistol-shot on his weather-bow, both ships commenced firing nearly at the same time, which continued (remaining nearly in the same situation,) until twenty-one minutes past eleven, when the enemy bore up, having the advantage of being able so to do, leaving us in an ungovernable state, with our sails, standing and running rigging cut to pieces, and masts injured. During the action, we twice fell on board the enemy, in attempting to thwart his hawse, when he at-
- ↑ The Master of the Daring, and the other men brought to Sierra Leone by the cartel, were landed there, they having been liberated on condition of not serving against France or her allies until exchanged. Their paroles stated them to have been captured by l’Aréthuse of 44 guns and 330 men; and la Rubis of 44 guns and 375 men. Mr. James, in his “Naval History” only gives the former ship 340 men, including a boat’s crew from her consort. The Amelia’s full complement was 265 men and 30 boys: 12 of the latter borne as supernumeraries for wages and victuals.
- ↑ The Naval Chronicle charges Captain Irby with saying that la Rubis was in sight just before the commencement of the action. We can discover nothing like such an expression in his letter.
