Captain
Harvey.

The two ships on this swung close to each other, and, paying off before
the wind with their heads to the northward, with their yards squared,
and with a considerable way on them, they speedily ran out of the line,
commencing a furious engagement. The British crew, unable to open the
eight lower-deck starboard ports from the third abaft, blew them off.
The _Vengeur's_ musketry, meantime, and her poop carronades, soon played
havoc on the _Brunswick's_ quarterdeck, killing several officers and
men, and wounding others, among whom was Captain Harvey, three of his
fingers being torn away by a musket-shot, though he refused to leave the
deck.

For an hour and a half the gallant _Brunswick_ carried on the desperate
strife, the courage of her opponent's crew being equal to that of her
own, when, at about 11 a.m., a French ship was discovered through the
smoke, with her foremast only standing, bearing down on her larboard
quarter, with her gangways and rigging crowded with men, prepared, it
was evident, to board her, for the purpose of releasing the _Vengeur_.
Instead of trembling at finding the number of their enemies doubled, the
British seamen cheered, and the men stationed at the five aftermost
lower-deck guns on the starboard side were turned over to those on the
larboard side, on which the fresh enemy appeared. A double-headed shot
was added to each of these guns, already loaded with a 32-pounder. The
main and upper deck guns were already manned.

"Now, my lads," cried the officer, "fire high, and knock away her
remaining mast!"

The stranger, which was the _Achille_, had now got within musket-shot,
and wonderfully surprised were her crew at the hot fire with which they
were received. Round after round from the after-guns were discharged in
rapid succession, till, in a few minutes, down came the Frenchman's
foremast, falling on the starboard side, where the wreck of the main and
mizen-masts already lay, and preventing him making the slightest
resistance. A few more rounds were given. They were not returned, and
down came the Frenchman's colours, which had been hoisted on one of her
remaining stumps. The _Brunswick_, however, was utterly unable to take
possession, not having a boat that would swim, and being still hotly
engaged with her opponent on the opposite side.

When the Frenchmen discovered this, they once more rehoisted their
colours, and, setting a spritsail on the bowsprit, endeavoure