sail, with the hope of capturing us; but the _Sea-horse_ remained
with us, and we threw up in the wind, and raked them until they were
within two cables' length of us. Then we stood on for our own ships.

At last one of the line-of-battle ships, which sailed as well as the
frigates, came abreast of us, and poured in a broadside, which brought
every thing about our ears, and I thought we must be taken; but on the
contrary, although we lost several men, the captain said to the first
lieutenant, "Now, if they only wait a little longer, they are nabbed, as
sure as fate." Just at this moment, our own line-of-battle ships opened
their fire, and then the tables were turned. The French tacked, and
stood in as fast as they could, followed by the in-shore squadron, with
the exception of our ship, which was too much crippled to chase them.
One of their frigates had taken in tow the other, who had lost her
topmast, and our squadron came up with her very fast. The English fleet
were also within three miles, standing in, and the French fleet standing
out, to the assistance of the other ships which had been engaged. I
thought, and so did everybody, that there would be a general action, but
we were disappointed; the frigate which towed the other, finding that
she could not escape, cast her off, and left her to her fate, which was
to haul down her colours to the commodore of the in-shore squadron. The
chase was continued until the whole of the French vessels were close
under their batteries, and then our fleet returned to its station with
the prize, which proved to be the _Narcisse_, of thirty-six guns,
Captain Le Pelleteon. Our captain obtained a great deal of credit for
his gallant behaviour. We had three men killed, and Robinson, the
midshipman, and ten men wounded, some of them severely. About the time
she was expected, the frigate joined, and we had permission to part
company. But before I proceed with the history of our cruise, I shall
mention the circumstances attending a court-martial, which took place
during the time that we were with the fleet, our captain having been
recalled from the in-shore squadron to sit as one of the members. I was
the midshipman appointed to the captain's gig, and remained on board of
the admiral's ship during the whole of the time that the court was
sitting. Two seamen, one an Englishman and the other a Frenchman, were
tried for desertion from one of our frigates. They had left their ship