the line, and a brig. L'Alert then began to put the
admiral's orders into execution, viz. to stand toward the enemy
till nearly within gun-shot, and then to manoeuvre, and endeavour
to draw them towards the outer shoal lying off the island. But the
English admiral, without doubt, had experienced pilots on board; as
he did not pay any attention to the brig's track, but allowed her
to go away, hauling well round all the dangers. At this time, a
small boat, dispatched from Alexandria to Rosetta, voluntarily bore
down to the English brig, which took possession of her,
notwithstanding the repeated efforts of L'Alert to prevent it, by
firing a great many shot at the boat. At five o'clock, the enemy
came to the wind in succession. This manoeuvre convinced us, that
they intended attacking us that evening. The admiral got the
top-gallant yards across; but, soon after, made the signal, that he
intended engaging the enemy at anchor. After this signal, each ship
ought to have sent a stream-cable to the ship astern of her, and
to have made a hawser fast to the cable about twenty fathoms in the
water, and passed the opposite side to that intended as a spring;
_this was not generally executed_. Orders were then given, to let
go another bower anchor; and the broadsides of the ships were
brought to bear upon the enemy, having the ships heads south-east
from the Island of Bequier, forming a line about thirteen hundred
fathoms north-west and south-east, distant from each other eighty
fathoms, and with an anchor out south south-east At a quarter past
five, one of the enemy's ships that was steering to get to windward
of the headmost of the line, ran on the reef east north-east of the
island. She had immediate assistance from the brig, and got afloat
in the morning. The battery on the island opened a fire on the
enemy, and their shells fell ahead of the second ship in the line.
At half past five, the headmost ships of our line being within
gun-shot of the English, the admiral made the signal to engage;
which was not obeyed, till the enemy was within pistol-shot, and
just doubling us. The action then became very warm. Le Conquerant
began to fire, then Le Guerrier, Le Spartiate, L'Aquilon, Le Peuple
Souverain, and Le Franklin. At six o'clock, La Serieuse frigate and
L'Her