32-gun, frigate Pearl, Captain Samuel James Ballard, while running in for the Isles of Loss with a moderate breeze from the west-south-west, discovered a large ship at anchor under Factory island, four others at anchor between the islands, and an armed brig under sail. What the armed brig and one of the ships were we are unable able to say ; but the ship under Factory island we take to have been the Régénérée, and the " frigate, with yards and topmasts down," described in the Pearl's log as one of those at anchor between the islands, her consort the Vertu. At 5 h. 30 m. p.m. the latter, having hoisted her colours, opened a heavy fire upon the Pearl, who, at 6 p.m., while running, as she was compelled to do, between the two frigates, fired at both, and then hauled up in three fathoms through the eastern passage. At 7 p.m. the Pearl ceased firing, but found herself chased by the Régénérée ; who continued the pursuit all that night, and until the next evening at dark, when she disappeared. On the afternoon of the next day, the 27th, the Pearl anchored in St.-George's bay, Sierra-Leone. The fire to which she had been. exposed, in running past the French frigates, had shot away her foretopgallant yard, and several lower shrouds and other rigging, cut through her fore yard, hulled her in several places, some between wind and water, dismounted two of her carronades, and mortally wounded one man.

We must leave these two French frigates and their sluggish convoy at the Isles of Loss, while we attend. to another frigate of Rear-admiral Sercey's squadron. On the 24th of April, the 40-gun frigate Seine, still commanded by Lieutenant Julien-Gabriel Bigot, with about 280 refractory troops on board, set sail from Port-Louis, for the same destination as the Vertu and Régénérée. On the 29th of June, at 7 a.m., the Penmarcks, in sight to leeward, the British 38-gun frigate Jason, Captain Charles Stirling, 12-pounder 36-gun frigate Pique, Captain David Milne, and 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Mermaid, Captain James Newman Newman, cruising in company, descried and chased a French frigate in the south-south-west, or windward quarter. The Mermaid immediately stood to the northward, to cut off the stranger from the land. The latter, however, which was the Seine, after a fortunate passage of three months, just about to enter, as her people flattered themselves, a port of France, tacked soon afterwards, and steered to the southward ; whereby the Mermaid, at best but an indifferent sailer, was completely thrown out. The Pique kept her wind ; and the Jason steered about two points free, in order to prevent the enemy from entering Lorient.

The chase continued throughout the day ; and at 9 p.m. the Pique got within gun-shot of the enemy, and kept up a constant fire with her bow-guns. At about 11 p.m., the Pique ranged up alongside the French frigate, and gave and received a broadside. A running fight now ensued, and the Pique and

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