1808	The Aigle and French Frigate	27

As the two contending frigates were now crossing ahead of the Impétueux, Captain Wolfe burnt a second blue light, in the hope that, upon seeing the position of the French frigate, the Impétueux would run on board, an operation that, with the way then upon the 74, would have cut the frigate to the water's edge and ensured her capture. Being now, however, very near the island, with a dark night to add to the difficulties of the navigation, the Impétueux, instead of doing so, wore round on the starboard tack, fired her larboard guns, and then, wearing again, followed the Aigle through the passage. The French frigate, shortly afterwards, as the only means of escaping from her persevering antagonist, ran with all sail set upon Pointe des Chats, on the isle of Groix, under very high and formidable batteries. The Aigle and Impétueux, shortly afterwards anchored to the south-west of the island, and were presently joined by the Saturn; who, as well as the Narcissus and Cuckoo, had also passed through between Groix and the main.

In this her gallant action with the French frigates and batteries, the Aigle was a considerable sufferer, having had three guns split and dismounted, a bower-anchor cut in two, and her mainmast and bowsprit irreparably injured. Her loss amounted to Captain Wolfe (severely in the left arm and hip), one Lieutenant (John Lamb), and 20 seamen and marines wounded ; seven of them so badly that they were invalided as unserviceable.

On the next day, the 23d, at daylight, the Impétueux, and squadron weighed and stood into the passage, and discovered the French frigate on Pointe des Chats, with her yards and topmasts struck, and her mizenmast cut or carried away, heeling very much. Several shells were thrown at the British ships from the batteries, but none struck them. In the course of the forenoon the people on board the Aigle saw seven coffins landed from the frigate, and carried to a church that stood on the top of a neighbouring hill: a tolerable proof that the shot of the Aigle had done some execution. By the aid of two large vessels and sundry smaller ones from the dock-yard at Lorient, this French frigate was at length got afloat and towed into Lorient. The other frigate, also, on the morning of the 29th, taking advantage of a shift of wind to the westward, slipped her cable, and in 20 minutes was safe at anchor in the same port. Although it is not in our power to state positively which of these two frigates it was that got on shore, we believe it to have been the Seine, as that frigate did not again go to sea, except as an armée en flute, or store-ship.

Notwithstanding the fate of the " sloop of war " Lily,* vessel: of that denomination, inferior in force to a gun-brig, were still suffered to remain in the British navy. One of the " cruisers " of this class was the Childers, a brig of 202 tons, built as

* See vol. iii., p. 271 .

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