t_; her hull was riddled with shot, she had five feet of water in
her hold, twenty-five of her guns were dismounted, and a great portion of
her crew were killed and wounded. After the battle had raged for three
hours she struck her colours. The _Embuscade_ had also surrendered. The
other British vessels set out in pursuit of the fugitives. The _Coquille_,
after a brave resistance, was forced to haul down her colours, and the
_Ethalion_ pursued and captured the _Bellone_. Five French frigates
attempted to escape, and in doing so sailed close to the _Anson_, which
had been unable to take part in the action owing to the loss of her
mizzen-mast, and as they passed ahead of her, poured in such destructive
broadsides that she lost her fore and main masts, and had much other
serious damage. Of the ships that had escaped, the _Resolue_ was captured
two or three days later. The _Loire_ made a good fight; she was pursued by
the _Mermaid_, and _Kangaroo_. The latter, which was an eighteen-gun brig,
engaged her, but lost her fore-topmast. The _Mermaid_, a thirty-two-gun
frigate, continued the pursuit.

At daybreak the _Loire_, seeing that her pursuer was alone, shortened
sail. As the _Loire_ was a forty-gun ship the fight was a desperate one,
and both vessels were so badly injured that by mutual consent they ceased
fire. The _Mermaid_ lost her mizzen-mast, main topmast, and had her
shrouds, spars, and boats cut to pieces. She was also making a great deal
of water, and was therefore necessarily obliged to discontinue the fight.
The _Loire_, however, was out of luck, for a day or two later she fell in
with the _Anson_ and _Kangaroo_, and in consequence of her battered
condition she had to surrender without resistance. Similarly, the
_Immortalite_, while making her way to Brest, fell in with the _Fisgard_,
a vessel of just the same size. The _Immortalite's_ fire was so well aimed
that in a short time the _Fisgard_ was quite unmanageable. Repairs,
however, were executed with great promptness, and after a chase the action
was recommenced. At the end of half an hour the _Fisgard_ had received
several shots between wind and water and she had six feet of water in her
hold. Nevertheless she continued the fight, and at three o'clock the
_Immortalite_, which was in a semi-sinking state, and had lost her captain
and first lieutenant, hauled down her colours.

Thus seven out of the ten vessels under the command of Commodore Bompart
were capture