1809	British Indiamen and French Frigates	193

quitted the Sand-heads of Bengal river, under the protection of the 18-gun ship-sloop Victor, Captain Edward Stopford. On the night of the 24th, in dark and squally weather, the Victor parted company ; and on the 30th, after two ships had quitted the convoy from stress of weather, the following Indiamen remained in company: Streatham, Captain and senior officer John Dale, Europe, Captain William Gelston, and Lord Keith, Captain Peter Campbell. The Streatham and Europe were ships of 820 tons, and each mounted 20 medium 18-pounders on the main deck, and 10 carronades of the same caliber upon the quarterdeck, total 30 guns. The Streatham had a crew of 137 men, 60 of which were British and other European seamen, and the remainder, except four invalid soldiers, Chinese and Lascars ; and the Europe, 72 British and other European seamen, and 56 Lascars, total 128. On board of each ship were also a few passengers. The Lord-Keith was a ship of 600 tons, armed with 10 or 12 guns, and a crew of from 30 to 40 men.

On the 31st, at 5 h. 30 m. a.m., latitude 9� 15' north, longitude 90� 30' east, as the Streatham, Europe, and Lord-Keith, were steering south-south-east on the starboard tack, with the wind from south-west by south, a strange ship was seen about seven miles off in the south by west, standing to the north-west. The stranger was the French 40-gun frigate Caroline, now commanded by Lieutenant de vaisseau Jean-Baptiste-Henri Feretier. This frigate mounted upon the quarterdeck and forecastle, eight iron 36-pounder carronades and 10 long 8-pounders ; making her total number of guns 46, exclusive of 20 swivels carrying a one-pound ball, distributed along her gunwales and in her tops. Her crew consisted of 330 men and boys, all Europeans; besides, we believe, 50 or 60 troops taken on board at the Isle of France. The Caroline had sailed from Port-Louis in the month of February, bound on a cruise in the bay of Bengal. In the beginning of April the frigate arrived off the Sand-heads, cruised there about three weeks, capturing only one or two small vessels ; and then, about three days before the India fleet sailed from the spot, steered for Carnicobar island to get a supply of water. While the Caroline was at these islands, the American ship Silenus, which had sailed from the Sand-heads under the protection, from pirates, of the Victor and her convoy, arrived there, and acquainted the French captain with the force, names, lading, and probable route of the Indiamen. Thus supplied with information, the Caroline made sail ; and, in the course of a few days, M. Feretier was fortunate enough to find that, although the American captain had betrayed his protectors they had not deceived him. When first seen, the Caroline was taken for the Victor, but her size soon pointed out that she was a frigate. At a few minutes past 6 a.m., having previously made the private signal and got no answer, the Streatham made the signal to form the

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