1808	The Amphion and Baleine	53

a.m. that the Unité got within gun-shot of the sternmost; who, after receiving a few of the frigate's broadsides, fired her broadside, struck her colours, and ran on shore. The wind continuing to decrease, and the remaining brig having got among a cluster of small islands, the Unité shortened sail to attend to the two that had struck. Of these, the Nettuno, out of a crew of 115 men and boys, had seven men killed, two drowned, and 13 wounded ; and the Teulié, out of a similar crew to her consort's, five killed and 16 wounded. The frigate had not a man hurt. These two brigs, as well as the one captured four weeks before, were transferred to the British navy ; the Ronco, of 334 tons, under the name of Tuscan, the Nettuno, of 344 tons, under that of Cretan, and the Teulié, 333 tons, under that of Roman.

On the 12th of May, at 9 h. 50 m. a.m. the British 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Amphion, Captain William Hoste, being on her way from the British fleet off Toulon to the island of Majorca, discovered a frigate lying at anchor in the bay of Rosas, and immediately tacked and stood towards her. This was the Baleine, a French frigate-built ship of about 800 tons, constructed purposely as an armed store-ship, and mounting from 26 to 30 guns, with a crew of about 150 men. There were four or five of these ships attached to the Toulon fleet. The Baleine was last from Majorca, and had, we believe, accompanied Vice-admiral Ganteaume in his voyage to and from the Adriatic.

At 10 h. 10 m. a.m. the Baleine hoisted French colours, and at 10 h. 30 m., having a spring on her cable, commenced firing at the Amphion ; as did also a battery of 16 long 24-pounders to the left of the town of Rosas, a battery of several heavy guns named Fort Bouton, and a low battery of eight 24-pounders at the starboard entrance of the bay. This fire the Amphion. returned on different tacks, while working up. At 11 a.m., finding the fire of the British frigate, as she closed, getting too warm, the Baleine slipped her cables, and, with her fore and mizen topsails, staysails, and jib set, ran on shore, close under the protection of Fort Bouton and the battery on the right.

At 11 h. 30 m. A. M, the Amphion shortened sail, and anchored with two springs in seven fathoms, and in-shore of the spot on which the Baleine had been riding. Having veered to a whole cable, the Amphion commenced a smart fire, within point-blank shot, upon the ship, fort, and batteries. This fire they all returned, and presently cut away the Amphion's jibstay. At about 30 minutes past noon the tattered starboard quarter hammocks and main topmast stay-sail caught fire by the enemy's hot shot ; and at 1 p.m. a small explosion took place in the marine arm-chest, but fortunately injured no one. At 1h. 30 m. the Baleine herself caught fire abaft, and a part of her men began leaping overboard and swimming to the rocks. Believing that the crew were abandoning her, Captain Hoste despatched Mr. William Bennett, the first lieutenant, in the jollyboat, to strike

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