32 gun-vessels (a tolerable proof how many had been damaged or destroyed), steered straight for Cape Blanez ; off which, at some distance, lay the Trusty, Vestal, Ariadne, and about a dozen sloops and other vessels, of a class the best adapted for these shallow waters. At 4 p.m. the gun and mortar batteries on Cape Blanez opened a tremendous fire upon the British ; who immediately returned it, but to a great disadvantage, the Trusty having, besides losing the use of her main stay, received a large shot in her slop-room, which caused a great quantity of water to rush in, and obliged her to haul off and heave to, to try to stop the leak. Meanwhile the flotilla proceeded, without much further annoyance, until off Wissant ; where, the shore offering less resistance, the cannonade recommenced on the part of the vessels, among which, by this time, were the Immortalité and a part of the detached squadron from off Boulogne. Such was the ardour displayed by the Arab to close with the flotilla, that she found herself within musket-shot of the shore in two fathoms' water. The brig-sloop Calypso, Captain Matthew Forster, La Fleche, Captain Thomas White, and two or three of the gun-brigs, strove to emulate the Arab, and, by their united exertions, drove on shore, before 7 p.m., six of the gun-vessels. The bank off Cape Grinez, and the shot and shells from the right face of its powerful battery, soon compelled the Arab, Calypso, La Fleche, and gun-vessels to haul off from the shore. The Calypso had her captain wounded ; and the Arab had her main topgallantyard shot away, her rigging much cut, and the head of her mainmast splintered and a part of the top and crosstrees carried away by a shell. This ship also received several shot in the hull ; one of which, or the fragment of a shell set fire to her on the poop, but the flames were fortunately extinguished. By some of the other shot that fell on board of her the ship had seven men wounded, two of them dangerously. The Fleche was the closest in shore owing to her light draft of water, so much so indeed as to render it necessary for the French at Blanez to depress their guns ; one shot took off the top off a man's hat, shattered a boat under the booms, and went through the water way on the off side. The Fleche had five men severely wounded and her running rigging much injured. The Arab and Calypso rendered themselves conspicuous objects from the shore, as appears by the following passage in one of the French accounts: " Une frégate et un brick, serrant la terre, s'engagèrent de très-près. " *

The Immortalité, followed by the Hebe, had, since 5 p.m., lay to between the end of the Banc à laine and Cape Grinez ; and even, when the former found herself in a quarter less four (scarcely half a fathom more water than she drew), her distance from the flotilla was too great to do execution. The two frigates

* Précis des Evènemens, tome xii., p. 45.

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