th
sea. All night Lord Howe had carried a press of sail to keep up with
the French fleet, which he rightly conjectured would be doing the same;
and as he eagerly looked forth at early dawn, great was his satisfaction
to descry them, about six miles off, on the starboard or lee bow of his
fleet, still steering in line of battle on the larboard tack. His great
fear had been that the French Admiral would weather on him and escape;
now he felt sure that he had him.

At about 5 a.m. the ships of the British fleet bore up, steering first
to the north-west, then to the north; and then again, having closed with
the Frenchmen, they hauled their wind once more, and the Admiral,
knowing that their crews had heavy work before them, ordered them to
heave-to and to pipe to breakfast.

The frigates, the _Ruby_ among them, and the smaller vessels brought up
the rear. Exactly at twelve minutes past 8 a.m., Lord Howe made the
looked-for signal for the fleet to fill and bear down on the enemy; then
came one for each ship to steer for and independently engage the ship
opposed to her in the enemy's line.

The British line was to windward, and Lord Howe wished that each ship
should cut through the enemy's line astern of her proper opponent, and
engage her to leeward.

Soon after 9 a.m. the French ships opened their fire on the advancing
British line, which was warmly returned. The gallant old English
Admiral set an example of bravery by steering for the stern of the
largest French ship, the _Montague_, and passed between her and the
_Jacobin_, almost running aboard the latter.

So energetically did the men labour at their guns, and so tremendous was
the fire that they poured into both their opponents, that in less than
an hour the _Montague_ had her stern-frame and starboard quarter
shattered to pieces, and a hundred killed and two hundred wounded. In
this condition she was still able to make sail, which she did, as did
also the _Jacobin_, the _Queen Charlotte_ being too much disabled in her
masts and rigging to follow.

Most of the other British ships were in the meantime hotly engaging
those of the enemy. The _Queen_ especially received a tremendous fire
from several ships, and became so crippled that the _Montague_, after
she had got clear of the _Queen Charlotte_, followed by several other
ships, bore down to surround her.

Lord Howe, however, having once more made sail on his ship, wore round,
followed by several other sh