1809	Junon with Rénommée and consorts	189

and inflicts upon her two principal antagonists a loss two thirds as heavy as that which she suffers herself ; thus combining, what is not always found united, even in a British ship, a high degree of gallantry with an equal share of practical skill. But the Junon's affair was a defeat. Was not the affair of the Blanche a defeat, a far less honourable defeat ? Yet Captain Mudge was fortunate enough to get his long letter blazoned in the Gazette, and circulated all over the kingdom. As far as our humble efforts can prevail, justice shall yet be done to the officers and crew of the Junon ; and these pages at least shall tell of the brave defence maintained by that frigate against a force more than trebly superior to her own.

On the 15th, at 1 p.m., the Observateur arrived off Basse-terre, Guadeloupe ; and, having telegraphed the 38-gun frigate Blonde, Captain Volant Vashon Ballard, that five French frigates (Captain Wetherall not having witnessed the destruction of the Junon) were within six hours sail of her, stood on under a press of canvass towards Martinique. Captain Ballard, having then in his company the 38-gun frigate Thetis, Captain George Miller, and the 18-gun ship-sloops Hazard and Cygnet, Captains Hugh Cameron and Edward Dix, immediately made all sail for the channel between the Saintes and Guadeloupe, down which he expected the enemy would pass.

On the next day, the 16th, Captain Ballard was joined by the 18-gun brig-sloops Scorpion and Ringdove, Captains Francis Stanfell and William Dowers ; and at 8 p.m. he detached the Hazard and Ringdove to reconnoitre Basse-terre. On the 17th, at 4 A.M., the Blonde and Thetis were joined by the 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Castor, Captain William Roberts, with important information. On the 15th, at 3 h. 30 m. p.m., the island of Désirade bearing south-south-east distant 11 miles, the Castor had recaptured the ship Ariel, of Liverpool, taken on the 4th, by the Renommée and her three consorts, and soon afterwards fell in with, and was chased by, the French frigates themselves ; two of which, the Seine and Loire, being light rigged, were considered to be corvettes. The four ships afterwards lay to.

At daylight the Blonde and squadron, then nearly abreast of Basse-terre, descried two strange ships to the northward. These were the Loire and Seine, which, just as the Castor had lost sight of them, had separated from the Renommée and Clorinde, and were now making the best of their way to Basse-terre. The British ships instantly proceeded in chase ; and at 8 a.m. the two French ships, finding themselves cut off from their port, steered along the coast to the north-west. At 10 a.m. they entered a cove named Arise la Basque, situated about three leagues to the north-west of Basse-terre . Here the two French ships anchored head and stern, with their broadsides to the sea, and under the protection of a battery on each point of the bay or cove.

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