however, at last filled our sails, and
round she came. We, as well as the Frenchmen, were now all standing on
the starboard tack. The three largest frigates had fallen to leeward,
and could do us but little damage, but the three smaller ones kept up a
harassing long-shot fire, to which we, on account of the distance, could
offer but a very slight return. All our topmasts being wounded, and the
wind freshening, it became necessary to take a reef in the topsails. In
spite of the risk we ran, the moment the order was issued we swarmed
aloft, though we well knew that at any moment the masts might fall,
while the enemy's shot came flying among us.

The frigates and the two corvettes to leeward, seeing us cease firing,
stood up, hoping to find us disabled; but springing below, we were soon
again at our guns, and gave them such a dose, knocking away several of
their yards, that they soon stood off again to join the other ships,
which had already had enough of it. I forgot to say that latterly we
had had the brig and the cutter close under our stern, and as we had no
guns with which to reply to the smart fire they opened, we could only
fire at them with musketry. After a few volleys, however, they beat a
retreat, and as night closed down upon us, all firing ceased on both
sides. The Frenchmen had fired high, and our sails and rigging were too
much cut up to enable us to follow them. Strange as it may appear,
scarcely a dozen shot had struck the hull, and in consequence,
notwithstanding the tremendous fire to which we had been exposed, we had
not had a single man killed, and two only, the captain and corporal of
marines, wounded. The former, however, poor man, died of his wounds
shortly afterwards. During the night every effort was made to get the
ship into a condition to renew the action. At daybreak we saw the
French squadron draw up in a close head and stern line. By eight
o'clock, having knotted and spliced our rigging, bent new sails, and
otherwise refitted the ship, we stood down to offer battle to the enemy,
but they had swallowed enough of our sixty-eight pounders, and about
noon they bore away for Flushing. We followed until there was no hope
of coming up with them, when our ship's head was turned northward, and
we steered for Yarmouth Roads, to get the severe damages we had received
more effectually repaired than we could at sea.

I afterwards heard that the large French frigate we had engaged was the
_B