into her quarter,
and then, with the Commodore, maintained the engagement until about
half-past seven, when the _Indefatigable_ found it necessary to repair
her rigging, and both frigates shot ahead.

At a little past eight, the frigates renewed the action, and placing
themselves one on either bow of the _Droits de l'Homme_, raked her
alternately. The seventy-four brought her guns to bear upon one or the
other of her antagonists as well as she could, and occasionally
attempted, but without success, to close. At half-past ten, her
mizenmast was shot away, when the frigates changed their position, and
attacked her on either quarter. Soon after she began to fire shells. The
gale continued all night, with a very heavy sea, and the violent motion
of the ships made the labour of the crews most excessive. On the
main-deck of the _Indefatigable_, the men were often to the middle in
water. Some of her guns broke their breechings four times; others drew
the ring-bolts, and from some, the charge was obliged to be drawn after
loading, in consequence of the water beating into them. But under these
most trying circumstances, the crew did their duty nobly. The _Amazon_,
being a smaller ship, experienced still greater difficulties than the
_Indefatigable_. She emulated her consort most gallantly, and suffered a
greater loss. Her masts and rigging were very much damaged; her
mizen-top-mast, gaff, spanker-boom, and main-topsail-yard being
entirely shot away; the main and foremast, and the fore and main yards
wounded in several places by large shot; many of her shrouds, stays, and
back-stays shot away, besides those which had been knotted and stoppered
in the action; all her spare cordage was expended in reeving running
rigging, and she had three feet water in the hold. The loss of men in
both ships was remarkably small. The _Amazon_ had three killed, and
fifteen badly wounded; and the _Indefatigable_, though she had so long
fought the seventy-four single-handed, had only her first lieutenant and
eighteen men wounded; twelve of them slightly, and the two worst cases
from accidents. The lower-deck guns of the enemy were nearer the water
than is usual in line of-battle ships, and in consequence of the heavy
sea, she could use them only occasionally. From this cause, as well as
from the excellent positions maintained by the frigates, and her
crippled state through the latter part of the action, she could make but
a very unequal return to the