when soon after daybreak we sighted a ship standing
to the eastward, we having the wind about north-west. Instantly we made
all sail in chase. Every one was sure that she was an enemy, and from
her appearance we had no doubt that she was a big ship. She, observing
that she was pursued, stood away from us before the wind. All day we
continued the chase. Everything was done to increase our speed. We
began to be afraid that the enemy would escape us. The sun went down,
but there was a bright moon, and numbers of sharp eyes were constantly
on the watch for her. We marked well the course she was steering.
Anxiously the night passed away. When daylight returned, the watch on
deck gave way to a shout of satisfaction, as in the cold grey light of
dawn she was seen right ahead rising out of the leaden waters. One
thing was clear, we were overhauling her surely, though slowly. We went
to breakfast, the meal was quickly despatched, and we were all soon on
deck again to look out for the stranger. In a short time there was no
doubt about her character. The order was given to clear the ship for
action. As I heard the words, I felt more cheerful than I had done
since I came on board. Strange as it may seem, my spirits rose still
higher when the stranger was made out to be a forty gun frigate. By
half-past eleven he shortened sail, and hauled his wind to allow us to
come up with him, and hoisting his colours at the same time, we now knew
him to be a Frenchman. Probably he had run away at first thinking that
we were the biggest ship, whereas in reality, as we afterwards
discovered, he was vastly our superior, not only in the number of his
guns but in weight of metal, for they were eighteen-pounders, and while
we had only 200 men fit to work our guns, he had 350. The _Cleopatra_
measured only 690 tons, while the enemy's ship, which was the _Ville de
Milan_, measured 1100, and carried forty-six guns. We also shortened
sail ready for action, and directly afterwards began to fire our
bow-chasers, which the enemy returned with his after-guns. Thus a
running fight was carried on for some time, we in no way daunted by the
vastly superior force with which we were engaged.

At about half-past two we were within a hundred yards of the _Ville de
Milan_, when she luffed across our bows and poured in a crashing
broadside, while we, passing under her stern, returned her fire with
good interest. We now ranged up within musket-shot,