e lugger to Guernsey to refit and
procure live bullocks. Having got on board what we wanted, we made sail
out of the harbour through the Little Vessel passage; the pilot, thinking
the tide higher than it was, bumped the frigate on shore on the rock of
that name. She struck violently, but soon floated off as the tide was
flooding. On sounding the well we found she was making water rapidly. The
pumps were soon at work, but as the leak gained on us, we made the signal
of distress and want of assistance. It was soon answered by the frigate
and lugger, who came within hail. We requested them to see us as far as
Plymouth, as we could not keep the sea in consequence of our mishap.
Fortunately the wind was in our favour, and we reached Plymouth Sound in
the afternoon, ran into Hamoaze the same evening, lashed alongside a
receiving ship and had a party of men to assist at the pumps.

At daylight we got out the guns and the heavy stores, and the ship into
dock. On examining her, it was found that part of the main keel and bottom
were so much injured that it would be a fortnight before the repairs could
be finished. In three weeks we were ready for sea, and were ordered to
join a squadron of nine sail of the line, under the command of
Rear-Admiral Montague. We sailed with the intention of joining the Channel
fleet under Lord Howe, but were much mortified on receiving intelligence
from a frigate we spoke that the action between the English and French
fleets had taken place on the 1st of June, and that the latter were
defeated with considerable loss. In the sanguine hope of meeting with some
of the enemy's lame ducks, we made all sail for Brest water. The next
morning we saw the Island of Ushant, and soon after eight sail of the
enemy's line of battle ships and five large frigates. They were about
three leagues on our weather beam. We made all sail in chase of them, but
they being so near Brest, and in the wind's eye of us, we only neared them
sufficiently to exchange a few shots. In the evening they anchored in
Brest roads. On this mortifying occasion there was a grand cockpit
meeting, when the middies declared the French were a set of cowardly,
sneaking rascals. "Let me," said one of the youngest amongst them,
"command a squadron of eight sail of the line against ten of the enemy, I
would soon take the gloss off their sides, and show them the way into
Portsmouth harbour."

On the afternoon of the following day we fell in with the