cule bomb, cut their cables, and got under weigh, to avoid the
enemy's fire. They got on shore; La Serieuse caught fire, and had
part of her masts burnt; L'Artemise was obliged to get under weigh,
and likewise got on shore. The two frigates sent their ships
companies aboard the different line of battle ships. The sloops of
war, two bombs, and several transports that were with the fleet,
were more successful; as they got under weigh, and reached the
anchorage under the protection of the fort of Aboukir. All the van
were attacked on both sides by the enemy, who ranged close along
our line. They had each an anchor out astern, which facilitated
their motions, and enabled them to place themselves in the most
advantageous position. At a quarter past six, Le Franklin opened
her fire on the enemy from the starboard side; at three quarters
past six, she was engaged on both sides. L'Orient, at this time,
began firing from her starboard guns; and, at seven, Le Tonnant
opened her fire. All the ships, from Le Guerrier to Le Tonnant,
were now engaged against a superior force: this only redoubled the
ardour of the French, who kept up a very heavy fire. At eight
o'clock at night, the ship which was engaging L'Orient on the
starboard quarter, notwithstanding her advantageous position, was
dismasted; and so roughly treated, that she cut her cables, and
drove farther from the line. This event gave Le Franklin hopes that
L'Orient would now be able to assist her, by attacking one of the
ships opposed to her; but, at this very moment, the two ships that
had been observed astern of the fleet, and were quite fresh,
steered right for the centre. One of them anchored on L'Orient's
starboard bow; and the other cut the line astern of L'Orient, and
anchored off her larboard quarter. The action, in this place, then
became extremely warm. Admiral De Brueys, who had at this time been
slightly wounded in the head and arm, very soon received a shot in
the belly, which almost cut him in two. He desired not to be
carried below, but to be left to die on deck: he lived but a
quarter of an hour. Rear-Admiral Blanquet, as well as his
aid-du-camp, were unacquainted with this melancholy event till the
action was nearly over. Admiral Blanquet received a severe wound in
the face, which knocked