1809	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	148

Alexander Wilmot Schomberg, fell in with the French ship-corvette Hébé of 18-carronades, 24-pounders, and two long twelves, with a crew of 160 men, commanded by Lieutenant Guillaume Botherel-Labretonnière, in the act of taking a ship and brig. On the Loire's approach, the Hébé bore up and made all sail, deserting her two prizes, and leaving the brig destitute of men. The Loire went immediately in chase, and at 8 p.m. got alongside of the French ship and brought her to close action. The Hébé defended herself for about 20 minutes, and then hauled down her colours. Neither ship appears to have had a man hurt.

The Hébé was from Bordeaux bound to Santo-Domingo, with 600 barrels of flour. She measured 601 tons, and was afterwards added to the British navy by the name (a Hebe being already in the service) of Ganymede. The armament established upon her was 22 carronades, 32-pounders, on the main deck, and 10 carronades, 18-pounders, and two sixes, on the quarterdeck and forecastle, total 34 guns ; with a net complement of 173 men and boys.

On the 22d of January, at 7 A.M., the British 18-gun ship-sloop Hazard, Captain Hugh Cameron, cruising off Gaudeloupe, discovered in the south-west a ship and schooner standing in for the land. The schooner presently steered a different course, seemingly to induce the Hazard to follow her ; but the British sloop, in a very gallant manner, bore up for the ship, which was the French 40-gun frigate Topaze, Captain Pierre-Nicolas Lahalle, from Brest since the early part of December, with 1,100 barrels of flour, bound to Cayenne ; but, having found that port blockaded by a " superior force," she was now on her way to Gaudeloupe. At 9 a.m. the British 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Cleopatra, Captain Samuel John Pechell, hove in sight, in the south-east, and about the same time the 38-gun frigate Jason, Captain William Maude, made her appearance to the southward. Thus hemmed in, the Topaze had no alternative, but to haul close in-shore ; which she accordingly did, and at 11 a.m. came to an anchor, with springs, under a small battery a little to the southward of Pointe-Noire.

Owing to light and baffling winds, the chasing ships made very slow progress, until about 2h. 30m. p.m. ; when the regular sea breeze, or east-north-east wind, enabled the Cleopatra to begin working up towards the enemy. At about 4h. 30m. p.m. the Cleopatra got within 200 yards of the shore, and within half-musket shot of the Topaze. The latter immediately opened her fire ; and, as soon as she had anchored with springs upon her opponent's starboard bow, the Cleopatra did the same. In a short time, having had her outside spring shot away, the Topaze swang in-shore, with her head towards the Cleopatra ; who thereupon raked the French frigate with destructive effect, and so well maintained her position, that the Topaze could not, at

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