fact, the French 36-gun frigate Sirène, Commodore Ran-Mark Renaud, and 18-gun ship-corvette (long 12-pounders) Bergère, with the Calcutta extra-Indiaman, of 819 tons, which they had that morning captured. The frigate and corvette had sailed from Rochelle, and were bound to Cayenne ; the latter with 150 troops, and the former with 300, besides Victor Hugues, of West India. notoriety, and his family.

At 10 a.m. the Aimable spoke the Glenmore ; and shortly afterwards the two frigates, the latter preceding, made sail in chase. At a .few minutes past 11 a.m. the merchant prize haul up to about east south-east, while the French frigate and corvette continued their course to the south-west. This manoeuvre in all probability, was meant to operate as a decoy to the two British frigates ; and it partially succeeded, for at about 11 h. 3.0 m. a.m. the Glenmore, in consequence of the merchant ship without topgallantmasts "having the appearance of a rasé," hauled up in chase of her, making the signal to the Aimable "to prepare for battle." After about an hour's chase, and the discharge of one or two shot by the Glenmore, the Calcutta showed an English ensign, hove to, and was recaptured ; the Glenmore herself lying to and sending her boat on board, although, as it would appear, an armed merchant ship was close at hand ready to perform the office, and quite able to have secured the prize, had the latter made the slightest attempt to escape.

The Aimable meanwhile, having clearly, from the first, made out the peaceable character of the ship to windward, had stood away south-south-west after the two ships to leeward ; and which, as evidently, to her at least, were an enemy's frigate and corvette. So fast did the Aimable leave her consort, who still continued lying by the recapture, that at 1 p.m. the lower masts of the Glenmore were half immerged in the horizon, and at 1 h. 30 m. no part of her was to be seen. As the Aimable neared the enemy, the Bergère appeared to be making increased efforts, by setting every stitch of canvass, to keep way with the Sirène, then about 500 yards ahead, with her sails proportioned to those of her comparatively, slow-moving consort.

At 2 h. 40 m. p.m., having arrived within random-shot of the Bergère, the Aimable hoisted her colours, and fired at the latter one of her forecastle guns ; whereupon the Sirène discharged a gun to leeward, and hoisted a French ensign and commodore's pendant. The corvette also hoisted her colours, and commenced firing at the Amiable ; who returned the fire, hoping. to disable the Bergère, but still kept up a little, to engage the Sirène, to advantage. With the view of frustrating the apparent design of the Aimable upon the corvette, the French frigate wore round. and came astern of her. In consequence of this the Aimable was obliged to shorten sail and keep away at the same time, in

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