which, however, parted company. On the 4th at
daybreak Captain Faulkner discovered the French 32-gun frigate _Pique_,
lying at anchor just outside the harbour of Pointe-a-Petre in
Guadaloupe. Finding the French frigate, however, did not appear
inclined to come out from under the protection of the batteries, the
_Blanche_ made sail towards a schooner, which she captured and took in
tow. She then stood over for Dominico with her prize. Late in the
evening, however, the French frigate was seen about two leagues astern,
upon which, Captain Faulkner, casting off the schooner, tacked and made
sail to meet her. At a quarter-past twelve the _Blanche_ tacked and
came up with her. When within musket-shot the enemy wore; Captain
Faulkner seeing his intention was to rake him, wore also, when the two
frigates closely engaged broadside to broadside. A fierce action now
ensued for an hour and a-half, when, as the _Blanche_, shooting ahead,
was in the act of luffing up to rake the _Pique_, her main and
mizen-masts fell over the side. Directly after this, the _Pique_
running foul of the _Blanche_ on her larboard quarter, the French made
several attempts to board. They were, however, gallantly repulsed by
the British crew, and the larboard quarter-deck guns and such of those
on the main-deck as could be brought to bear, were fired into the
_Pique's_ starboard bow, she answering in return with musketry from her
tops, as also from some of her quarter-deck guns, which had been run in
amidships fore and aft. The bowsprit of the _Pique_ passing over the
starboard-quarter of the _Blanche_, Captain Faulkner, aided by his
second lieutenant and two others of his crew, was in the act of lashing
the _Pique's_ bowsprit to her capstern, when he was shot by a
musket-ball through the heart. Soon after this the lashings broke
loose, when the _Pique_, as she was crossing the stern of the _Blanche_,
which began to pay off for want of after-sail, again fell on board on
the starboard-quarter, her hawser having just before been got on deck,
the _Pique's_ bowsprit was lashed to the stump of the _Blanche's_
main-mast. The first lieutenant, Mr Frederick Watkins, now took
command, and kept the _Blanche_ before the wind, towing her opponent,
while a hot fire was kept up by the British marines on the French seamen
who attempted to cut away the second lashing. This was returned from
the forecastle and tops of the _Pique_, as well as from the latter's
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