1809	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	150

the French frigate ; who, after bearing away to fire, hauled up again on the starboard tack, with the wind now at north-east by east. In the afternoon the 38-gun frigate Latona, Captain Hugh Pigott, made her appearance to leeward, and joined in the chase.

On the 10th, at daylight, the Supérieure had the Junon on her starboard and weather bow 12 miles off, and the Latona at about the same distance on her lee quarter ; all three vessels upon a wind, as before, steering about north by west. The brig soon shortened her distance from the Junon, but the Latona rather increased hers ; and, from her great superiority of sailing over the latter, the Junon would no doubt have escaped, had not, at 10 h. 30 m. a.m., latitude 19� 50' north, longitude 61� 30' west, an enemy suddenly hove in sight upon her weather bow. This was the British 38-gun frigate Horatio, Captain George Scott, steering on the opposite or larboard tack south by east, and having astern of her, at the distance of about 15 miles, the 18-gun ship-sloop Driver, Captain Charles Claridge. At noon, having made out the Horatio to be an enemy's frigate, the Junon put right before the wind ; but, in less than half an hour, perceiving the Latona standing across her path, hauled up again, and, having previously hoisted French colours, resumed her course to the northward, Captain Rousseau rightly considering that, if he could disable the weathermost frigate, he should, in all probability, be able to outsail the one that was to-leeward.

At 36 minutes past noon the Horatio and Junon met on opposite tacks, and exchanged broadsides in passing. The Horatio then wore, with the intention of engaging her opponent to-leeward ; but the Junon wore almost at the same instant, and, having run a short distance to-leeward hauled up again on the starboard tack. In the mean while the Horatio, having come round more quickly, raked the Junon astern with her larboard broadside. The Horatio then ranged up alongside of her antagonist to-windward ; and the two frigates, running on upon the starboard tack, became closely and warmly engaged. At 0 h. 50 m. p.m. Lieutenant Manley Hall Dixon, first of the Horatio, was badly wounded by a musket-ball, which entered his left groin and passed through his thigh ; and at 1 h. 10 m. p.m. Captain Scott received a severe wound in the shoulder by a grape-shot. The command now devolved upon Lieutenant the Honourable George Douglas. At 1 h. 25m. the Horatio had her main and mizen topmasts shot away, and at the same moment descried the Latona at the distance of about eight miles upon her larboard and lee quarter, close hauled upon the starboard tack, standing towards her.

By 2 h. 12 m. p.m., besides the loss of her main and mizen topmasts, the Horatio had had her mainmast badly wounded, and fore topgallant-mast shot away ; also the foretopsail tie and lifts, which brought the yard on the cap, and left her with only the

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