we should receive should we be defeated did not
make us fight with the less determination. Still, as day wore on, the
French ships in greater numbers crowded up astern, and the chances that
we should escape seemed to diminish. Not a man, however, quitted his
gun. We should have a tremendously hard fight before we were taken--of
that we were certain; and many said, and believed it too, that Sir
Charles would let the ship sink under his feet rather than strike our
flag. Matters seemed getting worse and worse. We saw the _Royal
Sovereign_ throw out signals to us to alter our course to starboard, and
get away from the ships most annoying us.

Immediately afterwards we saw her keep away in our direction,
accompanied by the _Triumph_. We cheered lustily as she opened her
powerful broadside upon the enemy, when we running down were brought
into close order of battle, thus being saved from the mauling we were
getting.

Our two friends did not arrive a moment too soon; for just then four of
the French van ships had borne up, hoping to secure us. On seeing the
approach of a three-decker, they again hauled their wind.

While this work had been going on, the _Phaeton_ frigate, which had been
sent by the admiral in the morning to a distance of some miles, was seen
approaching, making the signal of a strange sail west-north-west, soon
afterwards for four sail, and finally she let fly her topgallant-sheets,
and fired two guns in quick succession, which we all well knew was the
signal for fleet, probably that of Lord Bridport. This cheered up our
hearts, as may be supposed, for we fancied that the tables would soon be
turned, and that instead of being chased, we should be chasing the
Frenchmen, with the prospect of a stand-up fight, ending in the capture
of a part, if not the whole of their fleet.

No one thought at the time that the _Phaeton_ was carrying out a _ruse
de guerre_, which had shortly before been arranged by Admiral
Cornwallis.

In the afternoon, about three o'clock, we saw the _Phaeton_ making
private signals to the supposed fleet; and then using the tabular
signals with which the French were well acquainted, she communicated to
our admiral the fact that the fleet seen were friends.

About an hour and a half afterwards, she signalled that they were ships
of the line. She then hoisted the Dutch ensign, as if replying to a
signal made by the admiral in the distance to Admiral Cornwallis,
ordering him to joi