oitred, and the Phoebe
and Amazon were ordered to cruize together. Previous to their going
away Lord Nelson gave to Captains Capel and Parker several
injunctions, in case they should get an opportunity of attacking two
of the French frigates, which now got under weigh more frequently. The
principal one was, that they should not each single out and attack an
opponent, but 'that both should endeavour together to take _one
frigate_; if successful, chase the other: but if you do not take the
second, still you have won a victory, and your country will gain a
frigate.' Then, half laughing, and half snappishly, said kindly to
them as he wished them good-bye, 'I daresay you consider yourselves a
couple of fine fellows, and when you get away from me you will do
nothing of the sort, but think yourselves wiser than I am!'"[64]

The game of cat and mouse, off Toulon, occasioned one incident which
greatly upset Nelson's composure, and led to a somewhat amusing
display of ire, excited by a statement of the French admiral,
published throughout Europe, that his renowned antagonist had run away
from him. On the 13th of June, two French frigates and a brig were
seen under the Hyeres Islands, where they had been sent by Latouche
Treville, upon the report that some enemy's cruisers were in the
neighborhood. Nelson despatched two frigates after them, which, owing
to light winds, did not get near until the next day. The French
vessels being then seen from the "Victory" to be close in with the
batteries, the "Excellent," 74, was sent to support the frigates, and
some time afterwards the other four ships also bore up for the main
entrance to the islands. Upon this, Latouche Treville got under way,
and at about 5 P.M. came out of the harbor with his eight
sail-of-the-line. Nelson's division reduced their canvas, hauling to
the wind in line of battle, on the starboard tack, which, with the
then wind, was with their heads off shore, and the "Excellent" was
recalled, although she could not rejoin till midnight. In this order
they hove-to (stopped), with two reefs in the topsails and the main
yards square, at 7.30 P.M., which at that time of the year was broad
daylight, and in this general position remained till next morning.

As the distance between the hostile bodies was apparently from twelve
to fifteen miles, the French admiral's observations may have failed to
recognize that the enemy, by backing his topsails, had offered a fair
challenge; e