making many signals, were observed coming down towards the former. The British frigate was soon under way, and notwithstanding her reduced complement, chased and drove on shore the two French 20-gun ship-corvettes Garonne and Gloire, and the 16-gun brig-corvette Malicieuse. The masts of all three vessels shortly afterwards went by the board, and their hulls were involved in a sheet of spray.

On the 25th the Pallas was detached by Vice-admiral Thornborough, cruising with a small squadron off the Tour des Baleines, to reconnoitre the French squadron at anchor in the road of the Isle of Aix. The Pallas accordingly stood in, and counted five sail of the line (one a three-decker), five frigates, one ship-corvette, and three brig-corvettes. Shortly afterwards the French 40-gun frigate Minerve, Captain Joseph Collet, accompanied by the three brig-corvettes, Lynx, Sylph, and Palinure, got under way by signal from the admiral, and with the wind from the north-east stood out to drive away the Pallas; but the latter continued her station, and, as the French frigate and brigs approached, fired at them several broadsides. The Minerve and her three consorts, discovering about this time the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Iris, Captain George Argles, 16-gun ship-sloop Hazard, Captain Charles Dilkes, and a cutter, cruising off Chasseron, stretched in under cover of the batteries at the Isle of Aix. Observing this, as well as that the French captain had no intention to stand out beyond the reach of the forts, Lord Cochrane made sail towards the offing.

There being, as this indefatigable officer himself states, " nothing better in view, " and finding that the French trade was kept in port, in a great measure, by the knowledge of the exact situation of the British cruisers constantly announced by the signal-posts upon the coast, Lord Cochrane resolved to attempt the destruction of some of them. Accordingly, detachments of the crew of the Pallas demolished, in succession, the two posts at Pointe de la Roche, the post at Caliola, and the two in Anse de R�pos, on the coast of La Vand�e ; bringing away all the flags, and burning the houses built by the government. One of the two posts in Anse de R�pos was taken by Lieutenant Haswell and Mr. Hillier, the gunner, at the head of their division of men, from upwards of 100 French militia.

Lord Cochrane subsequently landed, and attacked a battery of three long 36-pounders, with a garrison of 50 men, situated on Pointe d'Eguillon, in the Pertuis Breton. In this attack he was greatly assisted by the flanking fire of the Frisk cutter, Lieutenant John Norton, and Contest gun-brig, Lieutenant John Gregory. The British then laid the fort in ruins, spiked the guns, burnt the carriages, blew up the barrack and magazine, and threw all the shells into the sea. The signal-post of Eguillon, together with the house, shared the fate of the gun-carriages ; but a French convoy that had lain under the

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