and brought our guns to bear on
the other enemy's ship on our bow, and the other's stern: at
12h. the Pompee drifted between our fire and the enemy's,--slipt
the sheet-cable, and eight-inch hawser, the spring, with the
intention of getting alongside the enemy's southernmost
ship,--light air springing up at the time from the N.E.; in
awaiting this opportunity, the mizen-top-mast, fore-braces, and
jibb halyards, with various other standing and running rigging,
shot away, and main-mast badly wounded: at 11h. 15m. breeze
dying away prevented our intention,--opened our fire on the
southernmost ship; at 12h. calm and hazy,--Caesar, Hannibal,
Audacious, Spencer, and us still firing on the enemy's ships,
batteries, and gun-boats,--boats of the squadron towing off the
Pompee to Gibraltar; P.M. calm,--still firing on the enemy's
ships, which were warping farther in-shore.

At 12h. 40m. sent Lieutenant Collis in the pinnace to assist the
Hannibal; at 1h. 40m. finding it impossible to near the enemy's
ships with safety, it being calm, and a strong current setting
in-shore, their batteries firing red-hot shot and throwing
shells, ceased the action as per signal, as did the other ships,
and steered for Gibraltar,--observed the Hannibal ceased firing,
and hoist the colours reversed, having her fore and mainmasts
shot away, and being in ten foot water, rendered all assistance
useless.

24 Nov. 1801.[36]
S. HOOD.

[36] The journal of Lieutenant Collis of the Venerable, the
officer who was sent to assist the Hannibal, and was taken
prisoner when on board, but who was sent to Gibraltar on parole,
need not be given, as it is an exact copy of the captain's log.

Thus the logs and journals of the captains and officers of the
Spencer, Audacious, Venerable, and Caesar, all agree that the Hannibal
struck her colours between 1h. 20m. and 1h. 40m. The Pompee, being by
this time near the Mole at Gibraltar, could not see nor take minutes
of that circumstance. The Spencer, according to her position at that
time, was in the best situation for seeing the Hannibal, and
accordingly her log is the most particular. The Caesar's log need not
be given, as it would be merely a repetition of Captain Brenton's
narrative. All these agree with Colonel Connolly's testimony, and
their evidence is quite conclusive as to the following facts; namely,
that the Hanniba