1810	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	222

unrigged by her opponent's well-directed fire, the Oreste hauled down her colours. At this moment the barge of the Blon Blonde arrived, and assisted in taking possession of the prize ; who could she have protracted the action many minutes longer, would have run herself on shore.

The Scorpion, whose guns were 16 carronades, 32-pounders, and two sixes, with a complement of 120 men and boys, received several shot in her hull, had her main yard wounded in the slings, also her mainmast and gaff, and her sails and rigging much cut ; but she escaped with no greater loss than four men wounded. The Oreste, whose guns were fourteen 24-pounder carronades and two sixes, with a complement of 110 men and boys, besides about 20 passengers, including a lieutenant-colonel and two other officers of the army, and the captains and some of the officers of the two French frigates Noire and Seine, recently destroyed at Anse la Barque, was damaged in the manner already stated, and lost two men killed, and her first and second captains and eight men wounded. Twelve officers and 79 men were received from her as prisoners, total, 91 ; but the remaining survivors of the crew and passengers succeeded in reaching the shore in one of the brig's boats. Surrounded as the French brig was by an enemy's squadron, not the slightest imputation can attach to her officers and crew for surrendering. The Oreste, a fine brig of 312 tons, was afterwards added to the British navy by the name of Wellington.

On the 17th of January the 18-pounder * 36-gun frigate., Freìja, Captain John Hayes, cruising of Englishman's Head, island of Guadaloupe, received intelligence from the log of a schooner captured by her, that there were three or four vessels at anchor in Baie Mahaut, a place of some strength situated or the north side of the neck of land connecting Basse-terre with Grande-terre. Captain Hayes came to the determination of attacking the forts that defended the harbour, with a division of boats from the little squadron then under his orders ; and, as a preliminary step, the Freìja made sail by herself to reconnoitre the spot. On the 21st, at noon, after a two days' search in a most intricate and dangerous navigation, the frigate discovered three vessels lying at anchor ; but, owing to the distance, could only make out that one was a brig with topgallant yards across and sails bent. The evening proving particularly fine, with little wind and smooth water, Captain Hayes resolved to send away the boats of the Freìja alone, now quite out of signal-distance from any ship of her squadron.

Accordingly, at 9 h. 15 m. p.m., four boats, containing 50 seamen and 30 marines, under the orders of Lieutenant David, Hope, first of the Freìja, assisted by Lieutenant of marines John Shillibeer, master's mate A. G. Countess, and Mr. Samuel Bray. the gunner, pushed off from the frigate, and stood to the south-

* Of that class, but we believe the frigate carried Gover's 24s.

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