now remained but to proceed on a cruise, or to endeavour to make a home port to the northward. Fortunately for British interests, M. Dumanoir chose the latter alternative, and, having stood to the westward until the squadron doubled Cape St. Vincent, which it did not do until the 29th, he steered north, intending to enter the road of the isle of Aix.

The celebrated Rochefort squadron of five sail of the line, three frigates, and two brigs, under Rear-admiral Allemand, had escaped from their anchorage since the preceding July, and was now at sea, playing sad havoc with British commerce. Two or three squadrons were seeking M. Allemand, and every British cruiser was on the alert, in the hope of hearing some tidings of him. In the latter part of October the British 18-pounder 36 gun frigate Phoenix, Captain Thomas Baker, steering, with sealed orders, to a prescribed spot, a short distance to the westward of Scilly, received intelligence from two or three neutrals, that the Rochefort squadron had recently been seen in the bay of Biscay. Considering that the importance of this communication would justify him in prematurely breaking open his despatches, Captain Baker did so, and found they merely contained an order to proceed to what was likely to prove to the Phoenix and those on board of her a profitable cruising ground.

Without a moment's hesitation in the choice between private interest and public duty, Captain Baker made all sail towards the bay of Biscay ; and, having crossed it, had just reached the latitude of Cape Finisterre, when, on the 2d of November, at 11 A.M. standing on the starboard tack, with the wind at north-north-west, the Phoenix discovered and chased four large sail, bearing west-north-west. Soon after noon the strangers bore up, under all sail, in chase of the Phoenix ; who thereupon bore up also, and steered south, Captain Baker being aware that a British squadron under Sir Richard Strachan was cruising off Ferrol ; and into whose hands he hoped to be able to lead, what he believed to be, a part of the Rochefort squadron.

At 3 P.M. the Phoenix discovered four additional sail of large ships bearing south. In a quarter of an hour more the four sail first seen, having made the same discovery, hauled to the wind, on the starboard tack. Immediately the Phoenix, then steering south-south-east, hauled up to south by west, the better to keep sight of the ships first seen. These, which were, as it will be conjectured, the French 80-gun ship Formidable, and 74s Mont-Blanc, Scipion, and Duguay-Trouin, under Rear-admiral Dumanoir, * subsequently wore and stood to the eastward ; and the Phoenix, firing guns and covering herself with signals, stood again to the south-south-east, to join the four large sail seen in that direction, and judged, but not yet ascertained, to be friends.

Much about the time that the Phoenix gained a sight of the

* For the names of the captains see p. 28.

^ back to top ^