as again
employed to watch the harbour of Brest; a service which he performed so
much to the annoyance of the French commander, that he sent a squadron
to ride at single anchor in Bertheaume Bay, to prevent the frigates from
reconnoitring the port. This squadron chased the _Indefatigable_ and her
consorts repeatedly, but without being able to bring them to action, or
to drive them from their station. Once, however, a frigate narrowly
escaped capture. The _Cleopatra_ was becalmed close inshore, with the
_Indefatigable_ about two miles to seaward, and another frigate between
them, when a light air rose, and freshened off the land. The French
ships slipped, and bringing the breeze with them, neared the
_Cleopatra_; and a frigate actually succeeded in cutting off her
retreat, while a seventy-four was fast coming up. Just then, when the
capture of the _Cleopatra_ seemed inevitable, the _Indefatigable_ made
the well-known signal for a fleet, by letting fly the sheets, and firing
two guns in quick succession. Ushant being on her weather-bow, the enemy
naturally supposed, as was intended, that the British fleet was coming
up from behind the island; and putting about immediately, hastened back
to their anchorage. A similar deception is understood to have been
practised successfully by _the Phaeton_, during the celebrated retreat
of Cornwallis; nor is it in either case an imputation upon the enemy,
that they should readily take alarm, when they knew that a British fleet
was cruising near them.

Early in August, the _Indefatigable_, after a short stay in England, was
again at her station off Brest; and Sir Edward, having carefully
observed the port, and fully satisfied himself of the state of the
French fleet, returned to Falmouth on the 14th, and, on the 26th, joined
Lord Bridport at Torbay. At this time he offered to conduct an attack,
which, had it been made, and with success, would have transcended the
most brilliant results of naval enterprise. The weakness of the French
Government, arising out of the struggle of parties for the ascendancy,
seemed to offer a favourable opportunity to the royalists, with whose
chiefs Sir Edward was on terms of confidential intercourse; and to
assist them in their objects by an exploit which should strike terror
into the republicans, he proposed to go into Brest with his frigates,
and destroy the dismantled fleet. He thought it probable that he should
succeed, and urged that the greatness of th