command hailed, that she was sinking. All the boats of the frigate went immediately to the Cheri's assistance ; but no efforts could save her. Scarcely had the Pomone's people and the wounded been taken from her, than the Cheri sank alongside; affording an indubitable proof that her unfortunate crew had not called for quarter until every hope of success had fled.

On the 8th of January, at daylight, the Burlings bearing east distant 50 leagues, the British 18-gun brig-sloop Kingfisher (6-pounders), Captain Charles Herbert Pierrepont, discovered on her weather quarter a strange ship, which soon afterwards bore up and stood towards her. At 9 a.m. the Kingfisher tacked ; and at 9 h. 30 m. a.m. the stranger, which was the French privateer Betsey, of 16 French 6-pounders, hoisted her colours and began firing. The Kingfisher, then on the opposite tack, opened her fire in passing ; the Betsey did the same ; but the cannonade was too distant to be very effective. The Betsey then wore round ; and the Kingfisher, being unable to gain the weathergage, shortened sail ; in order that her opponent might get abreast of her. The Betsey was presently alongside to windward, and a smart action ensued. After it had continued for an hour and a quarter, the Kingfisher's jib-boom was shot away, and the Betsey, taking advantage of that, and of the prevailing light wind, ran ahead under all sail, firing her stern-chasers as soon as she could bring them to bear. Another jib-boom having been got out, and the wind freshening, the Kingfisher was enabled, by 1 p.m., to overtake her opponent, and renew the action. The latter held out for half an hour longer, and then surrendered.

In this well contested and mutually creditable action, the Kingfisher sustained but very trifling damage in hull, rigging, or sails ; and, out of a complement of 120 men and boys, had only one man slightly wounded. The Betsey, out of a complement of 118, lost one seaman killed, her first and second captains, and six seamen wounded, three of them mortally, and the remainder badly.

On the 16th of January, early in the morning, as the British 20-gun ship Babet, Captain Jammett Mainwaring, was cruising about midway between the islands of Martinique and Dominique, an armed schooner was observed standing towards her. Soon afterwards the wind died away ; and the schooner, having made out the Babet to be a man of war, took to her sweeps and rowed off. This afforded to Mr. Samuel Pym, first lieutenant of the ship, an opportunity of volunteering an attempt to capture the schooner by the boats. Accordingly Lieutenant Pym, with the pinnace and launch, containing between them 24 men, proceeded on the service.

After rowing four hours, and reaching a distance of three leagues from the ship, the boats arrived within gun-shot of the schooner; who immediately opened her fire upon them. The

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